Birthday Food

Oh YUM!! Bülent wanted to go to a Kebab house for his birthday, he had heard about a local one that was tasty. The word of mouth was right!!

We had cop sis, and all the accouterment. In a Turkish restaurant, mezes usually come with the meal. In this case, bulgur pilaf, small lahmacuns, roasted onions, peppers and tomatoes, fresh lavash bread, a onion/sumac salad along with arugula and parsley.

Here is the main deal, cop sis, grilled lamb. It is super delicious, usually pulled off the skewer and eaten wrapped in the lavash with any of the aforementioned accouterments.

We also ordered eggplant salad, which was amazingly tasty. It was pretty simple, mashed eggplant, garlic, salt and pepper, and just delicious.

Here is my plate before the meat pops got to the table. As you can see, there is already a bite out of the lahmacun.

And for dessert, kunefe. Kunefe is a pie of shredded pastry, soaked in a sweet syrup with cheese in the middle. It is amazing, sweet and savory, served warm.

The food was great, the company wonderful, and it was a good birthday for him, if I do say so myself.

He Rocks My Socks

We have been together for five years, and every night is still like a slumber party. He still opens doors for me and carries my bags. It is just how he is. In the beginning, I was not old enough to go to bars with him. He bought me my first legal drink. When he learned I was a feminist he took me on a date to see Benazir Bhutto speak. In the grungy student apartment in Cambridge, he braved the kitchen to make me breakfast in bed every Saturday.

When I went back to school at night, and was working full time during the day, he made me breakfast and packed me a lunch and dinner. Every. Day. When I need to cry he hands me a tissue, holds me until I am done and pours me a glass of wine. If we don’t have wine, he will go out and buy it.

Today is his day, and it will be a good one.

Happy Birthday Aşkım, the 5th together so far, with many more to come.

With lots of love, from me, and Butterfinger.

Technorati Tags: Birthday,Bulent

Some days…

I miss things. Like 4th of July. I really wanted to be at a BBQ eating messy ribs or burned hamburgers, drinking beer and watching fireworks. Normally I would have just thrown my own BBQ, however, circumstances prevented that. But, I think I am going to have one next week. There will be burgers,beer, deviled eggs, potato salad, watermelon, beer, ice cream, beer and maybe some vegetables.

I have been a little nostalgic about the US lately. Last night I went out and did something about it. I watched “Angels and Demons,” there is nothing like Tom Hanks and Ewan McGregor to make you feel at home. Especially when they are saving Vatican City, or destroying it. Or simply standing still so I can look at them.

I have also been craving certain types of food that are more difficult to get here. Like martini olives. I am in mourning over martini olives, I can’t find them anywhere, it is really tragic. Though I did find vermouth, which was exciting.

I have been craving Mexican food and sushi. I miss the Mexican food from San Diego, you know the kind where the restaurant only takes cash, looks like a hole in the wall and has Abuela in the back cooking. You know what I mean, that place people used to think it was a sex shop because of the loud moans, and if it was on fire the patrons would put it out with their bodies lest they could not get an orgasmic burrito in the Burn Ward.

So before Angels and Demons we went out for Mexican food. It was actually “El Toritos” a California Mexican restaurant chain. Not authentic, but close enough to appease the hunger.

The other food I have been yearning for is sushi. I want it pretty hardcore. I am afraid to go snorkeling in Marmaris--if I see a fish---I just might just take a bite. So if you know any good places to go for sushi in either Ankara or Marmaris, let me know. I really prefer wasabi with my raw sea creatures instead of a la snorkel.

Amazing Travels: Santorini

Santorini was amazing! I know I keep saying everything was beautiful, amazing, etc. But it really was great, in a different way. We had been running around seeing “Historical” sites, which was educational and fascinating, however all of our vacationing (and stomach issues) had tuckered us out. Check out our path!

Cities we visited on our Epic Family Vacation

Santorini was just beautiful. Incredibly picturesque and serene. We stayed in these two adjoining houses built into the cliffs of Santorini looking out into the ancient volcano crater.

Our Patio

The island of Santorini is left over from a huge volcanic explosion that created several small islands out of one former larger one. Our house looked out onto the caldera (the depression where the volcano collapsed the land into a caldron-like feature). What I found fascinating what that Santorini sings. It really does. The wind blows in swiftly from the caldera, up the cliff face and into the honeycombs of the cave homes. It is reminiscent of when you blow into the top of an empty glass bottle. We also stayed in the most fabulous place. (Email me if you want the contacts) With the MOST FABULOUS manager, Maria. Maria was SO nice that we extended her a invitation to visit us in Marmaris.

We were supposed to take the night ferry back on the night of the 24th. Maria and her husband dropped us off. He thought that there was only one ferry to Athens that night, but Maria looked at our tickets (which were in Greek) and they looked fine. So we get on the boat, and when the ticket guy took ours Bülent had the wherewithal to make sure it went to Rodos (so we could get to our ultimate destination of Marmaris.) No. The ferry went to Athens. There had been a misunderstanding. Our tickets were for the 24th, but at 12:20 am. We showed up on the 24th, but by the time we boarded it was the 25tah, and the ferry had a different destination. I AM SO GLAD Bülent checked. So we got off the boat, the ONLY taxi driver there at 1:30 am offered us a ride. We made our way back to my parents hotel, thinking we could at least stay there until check out the next day. Wrong! Maria, the kind, amazing person she is told us to just stay the whole day and that night she would drive us back to the ferry port (no charge.) And then, she said if there was a problem with the ferry that night she would pick us up and we could spend the night there again if we needed to. So instead of the whole thing being an inconvenient mess, we had another lovely day in Santorini until the ferry to RODOS that night.

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I Saw Jesus In Greece

I really did.   Several times.  In the hospital.  I have never been in the hospital for myself before, never broke a bone or needed stitches or even urgent care.  I chose to break this streak on my parents vacation visiting Turkey and Greece.  Did I do this in Turkey where I had been living for five months and where it would be inexpensive?  NO!

After my parents met Bülent’s parents and stayed in Marmaris for a few days, it was off to the Greek Island of Santorini with a daytrip in Rodos on the way.  I had gotten a stomachache on Wednesday.  It was unpleasant but I thought nothing of it.  (TMI Warning)  I have a gastro-intestinal issue commonly known as IBS.  (Or--You did something horrible in a past life and now have to pay!) Stomachaches are part of the package of eating anything but yogurt, bread and water.  So I got this stomachache on Wednesday and every night honestly believed it would be gone by the next day.  So on Saturday, when we are touring yet another beautiful historical sight, I begged my parents to go on without me.  Because by this time I could not walk without to cry.  I thought I might need an exorcism to kill the demons that had taken up residence in my intestines. 

While we waited for the night ferry to Santorini, instead of touring the Old City of Rodos, we had a lovely excursion to a Greek hospital, which is where I saw Jesus.  In every room.  There was a painting high up on the wall which varied between different themes.  I was glad to see him becuase I thought I might need some prayer after looking at the prices in Euros.  Do you know what the dollar is against the Euro.  If you don’t, please don’t look it up.  It is too depressing.  Unless you are not American and your currency is worth more than toilet paper.  Anyway.  I got a diagnosis (IBS—Shocking!) and some stomach meds and we went on our way.  That is, Bülent and the family went out to dinner, while I rocked in fetal position in the car.  Thankfully the medications helped and I now am absolved of any sins I might have committed in a past life.

I did get to see Old City of Rodos later, because Bülent and I had to go home to Marmaris by way of Rodos on the ferry and it was lovely.  

Technorati Tags: Turkey,Sick,Hospital,Family,Vacation

Transcontinental “Meet the Parents”

When my parents came to Turkey, we visited all types of beautiful and historic sights, however the main reason was to meet Bülent’s parents. 

Quick back-story: Bülent is Turkish (as you might have guessed.)  We met in Cambridge (Massachusetts) my junior year of college, I was attending nun-school (All-Women’s college—I loved every minute of my feminism injection.)  And he was getting his Masters from a school that he would prefer I not mention because he hates to name drop. (Hint: They hate Yale) We hit it off despite some minor issues.

Him--Why won’t you come to the bar with me? 

Me--Well, hmmm, maybe later. 

Him--When then? 

Me--A few months sound good?

We have been dating for over four years, and got engaged this February.  So we thought it was time that the parents should meet.  We weren’t too worried as our parents are all well behaved.  However, there was a lot of planning and coordination for the trip.  Also, my family does not speak Turkish and Bülent’s mother is not fluent in English.  While you might think this would be awkward (it was a little) it was also helpful. When strangers meet and engage in small talk it can always be awkward.  But, there was a valid excuse for gaps in conversation which allowed everyone some respite. 

The meeting of the parents went well, but I had developed a pretty severe stomachache that would not go away. Here is the gang, assembled for brunch.  It was great that they got to meet each other, as living in separate continents it was not likely that they would bump into each other at the grocery store.

Technorati Tags: Family,Turkey,Vacation,Marmaris

Amazing Travels: Efes

Efes was fantastic!!

Well, the beer is good too, but I was talking about the ancient Greek city Efes.  Also known as Ephesus, it is located about 10 miles from the Aegean coast in Turkey.  It is incredible how much of the city is left.  The library, the brothel, the communal toilets.

I know you are thinking, who is this girl?  She goes to an ancient ruin and takes photos of the potty?  Well people, it is all about class.  Also, I could not locate the brothel. 

Efes, in addition to having a spectacularly preserved city center, including amphitheaters and terrace houses, was also the location of the Temple of Artemis (built around 550 BC) which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  The Temple was destroyed in 401 AD by a mob,  reconstructed, then later destroyed again in an earthquake. 

There is not much left beyond this pillar and a large depression in the ground.  However you can see the scale from the rubble that is left over, and it was enormous.

The city of Efes lost its importance as the river silt filled up the bay and the port town was no longer on the sea, and was eventually abandoned.  However nowadays the city is packed.  Tourists from all over scatter like ants on the ancient ruins.  What is really interesting is watching them compete for prime photo spots.  Some people wait in line, and others just jump right in.  Which causes conflict.  A few times I was tempted to sit down and watch the fight.  The amphitheater where the gladiators fought is right there, they could just move the fight over there.  Come on, jostling for photo opportunities, fighting to the death, same thing right? 

After seeing Efes, we lumbered back into the van to continue our drive to Marmaris, where my parents would meet his parents.  Not awkward at all.

Technorati Tags: Turkey,Efes,Vacation