I'm clutching at straws here, but here goes anyway ...

I can't even remember the guy's first name, but I came across him here on the HUBB at around 2006, and no, he didn't write in here, it's just that it was here that I read about him, hence my clutching at straws comment.

I've done a search on the Pub but that only goes back to 2012. He was an American, had possibly been in the Vietnam war, and was living in Mexico at the time he writing the blogs. I'm interested in one blog in particular (no. 216- no idea how I remember that...) about Istanbul at around 1969 when I happened to be there myself. He mentioned the hostels in the Sutanahmet district, the one he mentioned in particular was very similar to the one I stayed at- the Hotel Gulhane Cinab. Actually, calling itself a hotel was rather flattering at half-a-crown (12.5 pence in today's money) a night for a bed and a filthy mattress.) It had American vets making their way home from Vietnam and had the all-pervading smell of hash on the upper floors where they spent much of their time on the roof where they lived virtually rent- free.

I did write to him and was delighted to get a reply, but even though I did print a copy of his reply as well as his piece on Istanbul I've lost them both by now, alas.

My interest in all this is because of all the spare time due to the virus lockdown I'm finally trying to get the memory of the trip down on paper after fifty years before I forget it in my dotage.

Anybody?

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Johnef

Not Jan Reid by chance?

M.

Thanks Mezo, it isn't, but I've just remembered that his name is Fred Reed, sorry about that. And better still, I've found the article I was looking for, have a look if you will at:
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2003/10/...d-in-istanbul/

I've just realised that the place Fred was referring to was the Gulhane rather than Gulhane Çinab, (the C in the Cinab has a little sickle under it)- whether that was a different hotel I can't be certain, but it sounds the same to me. I wonder if Çinab simply means Hotel in Turkish?

I did go back to Istanbul in 2014 and asked at where I thought it was, but the old lady in the reception seemed to be saying that many of the older buildings in the area had been knocked down by now, inevitable I suppose. It's hard to be sure though as my lack of command of the Turkish language matched her lack of command of the Welsh and English languages...

One thing still puzzles me though; I'm certain that I stayed in the Sultanahmet district, but there's no mention of that on the card, is there anyone on here that could help, please?

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Johnef