On to Hatay

Our team finished assembling in Istanbul and departed for Hatay in southern Turkey Sunday afternoon.  More specifically we are staying and working in a town called Antakya which has about 200,000 people.  This is the city that will be our client for our project.  Today, Monday, we met the client, including a luncheon with the Mayor of Antakya, as well as a formal visit with the Governor of Hatay.  I definitely get the sense we are welcome here and our clients are as interested in the project as we are.  Tomorrow, we roll up our sleeves are get working with our Project Co-ordinators.

We also took the opportunity at the end of the day to do a quick tour of Antakya.  It is  vibrant little city with significant history.  The world's major religions all go way back here and today co-exist.  Antakya is also known as Antioch which has a lot of Christian history.  We drove by St. Peter Church, one of the oldest Christian churches.

Meeting with the Mayor of Antakya and his team

My turn to present

Visit with the Governor of Hatay

Overlooking the City of Antakya

Ancient tombs at St. Peter Church

Now I know where olives come from

Local breadmaking

The "oldest" street in Antakya

The IBM CSC Turkey 7 Team

#IBMCSC TURKEY