Today was a work day but before work... a moment of silence in Turkey

This morning, while waiting for a taxi to get to our company, we went outside the hotel to wait for the cab with one of the company officials.

Suddenly sirens sounding like air raid sirens began to sound everywhere and many car horns started.  We wondered what this was.  People were stopping on the streets even if walking.  It was explained that in two minutes - Turkey would observe a minute of silence as it was the anniversary of the time of the death of the founder of Turky, Ataturk and every year this time of death is remembered.  People stopped and did this, cars pulled over - there was a momentary stop of  almost everything in this city.  It was explained that Ataturk is regarded as the founder of modern Turkey as it is as if Washing, Jefferson and Lincoln were all rolled up into one person.  This is the high esteem that their founder is held in.  It was quite a moving moment.