by Philip Wagenaar (Second of three parts, jump to part 1, part 2, part 3)

In this issue, I am continuing last month’s travelogue of the eastern Anatolia region of Turkey.

From Mardin, my wife, Flory, and I drove via Midyat, with its fabulously carved rock mansions, to spectacular Hasankeyf.

For centuries, during successive civilizations, Hasankeyf was the capital of the region, and because of its strategic position in Mesopotamia it was one of the world’s first-settled...

Where to look for authoritative medical information

“I have been bleeding from the gums for the past few days,” my friend Audrey blurted out when I telephoned her. “You know I am taking the blood thinner warfarin, and my INR (a test to evaluate the effectiveness of blood-thinning medications) was normal a week ago. I am really worried.”

“Are you taking any new medication,” I asked.

“Oh, yes, my internist put me on cranberry...

(Second of two parts)

In the last issue I analyzed the ins and outs of bill paying abroad. In this issue, I offer additional suggestions on this topic.

Debit card checklist

Once you have acquired your debit card, it is helpful to do the following.

1. Ascertain the expiration date of your plastic money (the same holds for credit cards).

2. Be sure that you have a PIN — which is furnished by your bank — that consists of four digits and no letters. If you...