ANDERSON — Judy and Ken Zinszer may have feared an attack by pirates as they recently cruised through the Gulf of Aden.
But, as always, they found a way to turn a foreign trip into a cookie-making adventure.
The couple, known for their store at 2245 Broadway and for their travels, recently toured with a group through the Middle East.
“Our kids were worried about us going through the Gulf of Aden,” Judy said.
“And we knew there would be some danger in going because right before we left a ship was taken by pirates and the captain was rescued. Supposedly the pirates had planned revenge on Americans, but we were on an Italian ship so we felt safe.”
The gulf has been a troublesome, deadly spot for cruise boats and shipping vessels. NATO has begun patrolling the gulf to prevent attacks by pirates.
On the Zinszers’ cruise ship, a plan addressed entering the danger zone.
The captain ordered fire hoses to be mounted with noses pointing downward so that powerful water blasts would knock back an impending pirate attack.
A huge spotlight was roped to the back railing to blind pirates if they tried to climb up the back of the ship at night. Military boats accompanied the ship into the harbor in the Gulf of Aden in Yemen.
Upon porting, the couple explored the area and did not stick with the group in an organized tour.
Ken and Judy hailed a cab and went to a bazaar, not for tourists but for local folks, offering items for sale such as food, crudely made kitchen utensils, clothes and sandals.
Judy said that they have done a lot of traveling but that was the scariest place they have visited because of often testing relations with the U.S.
“We told them we were Canadians,” she said.
Language knowledge helped
Combined, the couple speaks five languages.
Ken grew up in Saudi Arabia where his father worked with Aramco Oil Co. He attended all four years of high school in Rome. Ken had not been back to Saudi Arabia since the ‘60s, so he and Judy thought it seemed like a good time to go on a three week cruise.
Shopkeepers seemed captivated at Judy’s blonde hair. Hearing Ken speak Arabic fascinated the locals even more.
“It was like going back in time to Arabia 50 years ago,” Ken said.
Judy visited bakeries and sampled cookies. She learned about ingredients used in that locale. In this case, fresh dates.
The fruit will be an important ingredient in a cookie which will be featured as July’s “Cookie of the Month.”
She sat with a woman around an open fire to make their type of bread. Later in the day, the woman removed her long black veil to uncover a sleeping baby securely tucked in a cloth holder, held against her body.
“We wanted to see how real people were living,” she said. “But we were glad to get back on the ship.”
A former foreign language teacher at Anderson University, Judy retired so she could travel.
The Zinszers’ journey began with visiting friends in Paris, then to Frankfurt, Germany. Other stops included United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, Croatia, the French Riviera and ending in Venice, Italy.
A main staple in the diet includes rice and birds. Many people raise goats and sheep. Ken and Judy enjoyed meeting people in their homes, typically two rooms and made of handmade bricks.
She may create another recipe later this summer, perhaps using almonds or orange flower water.
Local News
Related Photos
-
John P. Cleary
Discussion
Travel to distant land inspires couple
- Local News
-
-
Anderson man dies at Monroe Reservoir; 3 others arrested
Memorial Day weekend took a tragic turn Saturday evening as an Anderson man visiting Monroe Reservoir died. Three other Anderson men were arrested later that day following the death of Matthew Hosier, 29.
-
Getting Together: Silence not golden for this library program
Certain rules govern almost all libraries: be quiet, don’t mar the pages and absolutely no food or drinks on the premises. But a small group of patrons wait until after hours, lock themselves in the back room of the Alexandria-Monroe Public Library, eat popcorn, drink soda and loudly scoff as they watch bad movies.
-
Veteran receiving Bronze Star 68 years late
An Army veteran will be awarded a Bronze Star on Memorial Day — 68 years after he was originally supposed to receive it.
-
Memorial Day activities set
For Memorial Day weekend, here’s a list of activities to participate in.
-
Arrest Log: May 28
Arrests made by Madison County law enforcement on Saturday, based on Madison County Jail records. Charges are recommended by arresting officers, but are not final until the Madison County prosecutor reviews the case and files official charges.
- Conservation officers arrest Anderson boater on alcohol charge
-
What's Where: May 28
Local activities are scheduled Monday.
-
Handicapped murder convict alleges prison discrimination
Since October 2006, Donald Lock has been confined to a wheel chair because of a degenerative bone disease. He has spent time at correctional facilities throughout the state, but it wasn’t until he was transferred to Pendleton earlier this year that he said he felt his disability was ignored.
-
Arrest log: May 27
The following arrest log appears in the Sunday edition of The Herald Bulletin.
-
Parents at Little League say coach took money
Parents of the North Anderson Little League filed a complaint with police against a former coach who they say stole fundraiser money.
- More Local News Headlines
-
