Finally, something off my "snobby intellectual books" stack

Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco

 

This is something else.  Is it a murder mystery?  Historical fiction?  An apocalypse allegory?  A theology musing?  A semiotics treatise?  Damned if I know.  Maybe one day I’ll be smart enough to understand this book; in the meantime, I’m just in awe.  Eco plays with metatextuality in his, what, four different framing narratives.  William of Baskerville is an amalgam of Occam and Holmes, and works beautifully as such.  He is the mouthpiece for fascinating speculation on knowledge, what we can know, how to interpret signs, whether truth can be found.  I have no words for the awesomeness of this book. 

Nemrut: one of the world's biggest monuments to ego. Cool.

The homestay was cool and comfy, best bathrooms yet spotted in this country. Then a long bus travel day. East, Kurdish territory to stay in a pension right near the summit of Nemrut. Sight of the day- donkey with a washing machine strapped to its back. I don't even know.

After dinner Kelly, David, and Carmella all came up very badly sick, and we all felt bad for them. Lovely evening playing cards with Kelly's deck. Turns out Tony loves a version of Dal Muti/Peasant.

Woke up at 4 in the morning. Kelly was violently ill all night and didn't sleep at all. Drove up the mountain. You have to walk the last 500m, which doesn't sound like far except that it's straight up rocky shale with no food. It was hell. I am completely angry and embarrassed about how out of shape I am, haivng had it proven to me 2 days in a row now. Nina had to come back and wait quite a long time for me. It was awful and I desperately need to get into shape.

The actual mountain top looks exactly like the photos. It's absolutely beautiful. The view is breathtaking (especially when you realize that that little stream down there is the Euphrates. Christ). The monument is impressive and awe-inspiring and it's everything you hope it will be. However, a lot like New Years in Times Square. Did it once, have memories, never have to do it again.

The whole rest of the day was bus travel with many very sick people. Arrived in Silifke. Very nice restaurants. I seem to be out of the woods on food poisoning, had a very cheap and spicy kebab, enjoyed it and was fine. Go me!