Blogs/columns by xxxx Reid.
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
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