Went to an awesome Turkish dinner tonight with an unnamed friend – (she didn’t want to be mentioned). Her Turkish boyfriend ordered everything for us, we must have ordered enough food for 10 people, and he made extra sure that nothing had nuts in it for me! There was butter and cheese which you put on warm baked bread with some spicy sauce, lots of meat, eggplant of some sort, raw meat mixed with spices on lettuce, salty yogurt and fermented carrot juice, oh it goes on. It was so nice to see unnamed friend, and have a friendly face to eat dinner with, at the very least! I had been feeling a bit lonely so this was great.
Exclusive update: Muslim women run to catch the metro train! They shop at my favorite store (Vera Moda, (ie they do wear normal clothes under their long robes)! They eat at cafes with their friends! The muslim religion, or muslim women in general seems like such a mystery to me, which I just can’t understand. It’s interesting to be surrounded by them. Certainly not like I would be surrounded if I was going to the middle east, but close enough.
Took a picture at the mall in a shop which had a “New England-Maine” brand of clothing. Then I got yelled at to stop taking pictures. Screw that guy, haha.
The malls are pretty intense. They are huge. One in particular that I went to , called “Canyon Mall” is just as it says it is; shaped like a canyon. You walk in ground level and realize you are close to the top and it goes all the way down another 4 floors or so. I’ve been told it can be annoyingly windy and chilly during cold days.
Some tidbits because I was too busy to write a lot:
Turkish families sleep in very small bedrooms. Houses are big, living areas big, but bedrooms very small.
The rich side – Etiler, is very beautiful! Tons of small little boutique shops and specialty restaurants.
The chanting in the morning is pretty amazing, I have no idea where it’s coming from… besides that it must be coming from one of the mosques in the area.
Saw the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar and a palace called Topkapi Palace, all amazing to see.
My friend’s boyfriend became offended when I asked “do the women ever get to sit up front in the mosque? Well, they don’t… because if they did they would distract the men with impure thoughts. He is Muslim. Differences in culture never cease to amaze me.
I walked by some celebrations b/c of soccer game, the team that had one was the popular one. People took to the streets like crazy… they were riding around the square with open pickups and signs, people had climbed the statues in the square and were showing off their team’s gear, and the square was just packed with people and noise. It was craziness.
Today went on the boat cruise, saw the hagia Sophia, went to Turkish spice market and had an amazing Turkish brunch! What a day!
The smell of chestnuts and bread here, are unreal.
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