Stop in for a cup of coffee

I've been on liberty overseas during Ramadan, that sucked! I love eating the local foods but bad timing. Liberty policy was absolutely no walking around with food etc. Lot of other cultural rules, no showing the soles of your feet etc. etc.
Many years ago, I was with a US force with a UN mission in Bosnia. I was an area Provost Marshal with five countries with military areas of responsibility. Their Military Police commanders reported to me. One such country was Turkey. My interpreter and I had to occasionally go and meet with them. She warned me on the way the first time that we get in and out and don't stay for lunch. She said all they ever serve is fish and it was awful. We get there and the commander is running late and kept us waiting. He was embarrassed and sorry and insisted we stay for lunch. After going back and forth I agreed to stay. A small gasp was heard from my interpreter...haha. She was right it was the worst thing I'd ever tasted. The other things on the plate were ok a rice type stuff and a green leafy plant that helped get a few bites of fish down. On our way out the Turkish commander invited me back for the flogging of a couple soldiers for disciplinary problems. They did things different.