Turkey means Ataturk

Just about everybody in Turkey seems to be enthusiastic about Ataturk, and after a while you start to get enthusiastic about him too – at least I did

But the question is, was this really enthusiasm? Or was it just a determination to share the Turkish experience, to `discover the real Turkey’, as the travel companies might put it?
If it’s genuine enthusiasm, it’s motivated by several things.

Backpacking in Turkey

One of these things – maybe the most important thing, is that everybody, it doesn’t matter how poor they are, loves Ataturk.

Rich backpackers just love poor people

This is a pretty strong influence – when the poor love somebody he must be ok. I think that was my reasoning at the time. Subconsciously. Now that I think about it, I wonder if this is because backpackers tend to identify with the poor.
Even though they aren’t poor themselves. I mean, just about every backpacker has several thousand dollars available, even if they don’t carry it around in cash.
This Ataturk experience was the only time I ever agreed with everybody. I wouldn’t want to make a habit of it.
in photo: backpacker and travelers on the road between Istanbul and Adana, about 1972.