I certainly recall the Milka bakery on the corner of Kavakledere and Buyuk Sokak! They also sold some incredible chocolates. I seem to remember a dairy store next door as well, where we used to get yoghurt in those heavy glass containers. And a barbershop a couple of doors further up the street.

The Teen Club was great, but I also enjoyed the library in the same building.

The library was actually very good. It had a great collection of Science Fiction and Drama, as well as a good record/tape collection. I recall listening to TS Eliot reading his "Wastelands", probably in preparation for a class with Mr. Tenley!

Also, a couple of floors above the Teen Club was the AF Payroll Office. They had a big-ass computer up there--I don't remember the brand--that took up an entire room. It had a memory comprised of two-inch magnetic donuts. There was a SPC-4 up there who taught me my first steps in computer programming: a black jack game in COBOL!

Whoops! Memory's going... Milka's was on the corner of Bilir Sokak, two blocks down from our apt., one block down from the Det.4 Hospital, which provided very entertaining summer employment!

My family lived in a duplex home and we lived above the Bakery in Kavaklider(sp?). The American hosptial was a block up the hill behind us. We smelt the bakery cooking everyday all day long and it was very tempting not to go downstairs and eat everything. We did come home from school on the bus and have our after school snack downstairs, before we came up to say hi to our mother. My brother Robin, was in the first graduating class that was there all four years. My brother Patrick, was there and left for his senior yearwhich he was in the States. My youngest sister Mary, was in Elementary school. We lived across the street from a set of twins'65 or '66 (guy and girl) but I do not remember their names, although I went to a wedding at the Naval Academy for one of them. I've lost contact long ago. BUT the Bakery was delicious and everything really did taste different.

I used to go the photo hobby shops and develope my black and white film and make prints. It was in the same bldg as the movies. Was't that in Kavaklider(sp). Seems some of my classmates found out and would happen by and talk me out of a few prints.
Movies were nice and cheap. 35 cents!! popcorn 15 cents.
I read somewhere on this site how things have changed in Ankara. Kind of a shame. The picture is not our memory.. it is true, you can't go back.
Oh yes, the red wine. Had a bunch when I went back to Turkey as an airman in the USAF at Incirlik AB, 67-69. Some very good times.

This topic seems to be very similar to the one I have been following "where did you live?" That could be why both have the highest number of replies.

Anyway, since I read the question Brian wrote about the Turkish gangs on this topic I'll share one I remember in Gazi. There was one gang that went by that name - the Gazi Gang. They specialized in beating up American's. Like Brian said, I and my friends specialized in running like hell to get away from them. It always worked. It worked if you saw them soon enough with their chains and pipes looking you over. But one time I was walking with a friend of mine, maybe Bill Stevens, or Gordon Jerrell, heading off for the movies one fine night when we walked onto a street with the gang less than 20 yards away. You know that instinct that tells you not to run from a vicious dog. We quickly discussed the option, but concluded they were too close and would probalby enjoy first the chase and then the "kill." So we attempted to turn slowly and walk away. The wistles and "hey Johnny..." calls started and they ran up to us. I thought this was the end, but they told us they were hunting for another American, (I don't remember his name now) and asked if we knew where he lived. Right. No way were going to tell them so I told them I did know the guy and gave them bogus directions and they thanked us. They left and clinked their chains on their happy quest. Once they were a couple of blocks away, we ran like hell. We were happy too, but knew if we ever got that close to them again...

Another exciting time was when I was in a play put on by the AF special services. We were downtown having our dress rehersal dinner at the NCO club - had steak then too. Great time was had by all. We got back into our Blue AF bus and started the drive back when we drove smack dab into the middle of an anti-Amrican protest/riot. What fun, the Turkish diver placed a pin in the door lock but the rioters surrounded our bus and started hitting it and rocking it. It was cok fina (sp?) and we thought it was about to be tamum (sp?) when glory be, those wonderful Turkish gandarms (sp?) - the ones you saw on every corner with the white plastic helmets and machine guns - started from a block or two away, billy clubs in their handds swinging them on every head near them and they parted that crowd like Moses did the sea. They opened the way in front and we bolted! The show must go on, and it did. Thanks to the Obbies that day!

Hi Wray: I remember Gary Zinn and you, the teen club had two pool tables. The smallest 3 1/2 X 7 was for us small frys.The larger 4x8 for you older guys.I use to get so mad that you and Gary wouldn't let me play on the larger table.
After I bought a Willie Mosconi pool cue and started beating everyone, you ad Gary finally let me play on the larger table.After that I started sneaking down to the NCO tower and shooting there.I do remember Gary Zinn being a large Goldwater fan.

quote:

Originally posted by Wray Woolley '66:
Dave,

No sir, Gary Zinn, who lived directly across the street from me, was in the class of 1965. You may not have known that because when he graduated from GCMHS he went to Germany and U. of Maryland for his freshman year. So he wasn't around much for the class years of 65-66 at GCMHS. Everyone thought he was a G.I. but only because he was one of the first to buy his own cue... that started a fad right there. He would show up at the summer break as well. I used to beat him from time to time at ping-pong, but never at pool.

Hey Wrey: I beat Gary Zinn at pool.
Charlie Charlson