Fog

Ankara is high plateau living at its “finest”. The city sits at about 3000 feet, and my part of town about 4000 ft. It’s a very dry climate, and that has taken getting used to as well. Since the ground doesn’t help retain the day’s temperature, it’s all about the sun. It can be 100 degrees in the summer, but if you are in the shade, it’s a lovely day. But five minutes in the sun on a 80 degree day can be absolutely withering.

But even in this dry climate, sometimes in the winter this crazy fog rolls in. I spent five years in San Francisco and got used to the fog even though I never liked it. But this is different – the winter fog rolls in, and it doesn’t roll out. Until a week later. It can be strangely claustrophobic. You really don’t see a view out your window for a week. And when it finally dissipates, it leaves the equivalent of a winter wonderland, clinging to the branches of the trees and every surface imaginable.