Turkey?!

‘There are so many things that I would like to say to you, but I dont know how.” -loops in the back of my head daily.

I’m getting more acquainted with the city. And by city I mean language, people, customs, prices, metric system, food, and so much more. And its great that the family especially the dad likes to criticize me and give me shit about things he should realize I have no effing clue about. He likes to laugh at my “accent” which really irritates me. For one, the midwest is somewhat known for NOT having any sort of accent, and he compares me to his old, perfect-english-speaking aupair from minnesota. MINNESOTA?? Are you joking me?? She is the one that doesn’t have the accent..I do? Ha. And when he rebuttals against my anti-accent claim that me and all my friends, including the arizona ones, dont have an accent either, he says, “ah yes, arizona, nebraska, kahnseez, all the same thing.” Uh huh. Yeah actually not. My perception of his knowledge about english and america just went into a recession (especially after multiple questions about the beaches in kahnseez).  I’m the one with the accent, huh?…why don’t you throw the first stone buddy.

Allright, accent frustrations aside, the family is a bunch of sweethearts. They shower me with delicious turkish teas, coffee, and chocolates. The hazelnut capital of the world, they say. Most eaten foods so far: “watermelon” (actually more of a honeydew), YOGURT!, tea, parmesan, peeled and sliced tomatoes, sour oranges, and pasta with light to little sauce. Mmm the veggies here are quite different and so yummy.

I have something to confess. I ate a lamb’s KIDNEY tonight! It makes me cringe just thinking about it between my teeth. I was at a little dinner party, so I was under a bit of pressure as it was specifically shared between me and the head of the table. When in Rome.

At least in this suburb of Istanbul it is quite common to have a maid, a live-in maid for that matter. Our’s only comes and makes me breakfast and serves me tea through out the day (in addition to cleaning of course) but doesn’t live here. But usually the maid, like the one at this dinner party’s house, lives in, makes full meals 3x a day, cleans, and takes care of the kids. Amazing.  And the food is excellent. Groceries are delivered. Hell even Mcdonalds and Burger King delivers.

Going to “the square” tomorrow. I’m actually really pumped. They say its like the entertainment-, restaurant-, bar-, you name it-, center of the city.

Pics of my place and around the historic part of town.

The condo, with a giant row of rosemary...mmm

In the complex

Living room

My room. A little more modest. Let me tell you, that bed is way less comfortable than it looks, and it doesn't look very comfortable.

Sultanahmet. Gorgeous mosque.

Turkish flag bush thing. Right outside the mosque

Another view of the Sultanahmet

Walking around the streets. "Hey pretty lady, where you from? What your name? Hey lady, come back come back!"

Grape vines strung across apartment buildings. There were a lot more, and these were beautiful

~ by turkishlaura on October 4, 2009.