Selen's birthday dinner!

Cheers!

I met Selen in 2003 when we picked her up from the AFS orientation in Boston. We took her to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch and horrified her with American portions. Our relationship--while tense at times--has withstood several years and one giant ocean. I am lucky to know her and constantly reflect on how lucky I am to havefamily living so near by to sleepy Tekirdag, especially when that family is located in Istanbul.

Well, last week was an important holiday. It was the 25th anniversary of Selen's birth so of course I made the trek to Istanbul. Before anybody gets any ideas about Turkish public transportation, I would like to interject a bit of my own first hand experience. Their busses are phenomenal. And, while I have yet to use their train system (I've only heard good things) their subways are are also impressive. I had a certain amount of skepticism before boarding my first bus but in the several I have since taken, my respect and affection for their services has only grown. This is nothing like the Fung Wah and from what Emily has told me of her trip to Boston from Rochester, it seems Greyhound has something to learn as well. They serve tea at least once each ride and also offer some kind of cookie or little cake, even though the trip averages 1:45. You do occasionally have to put up with a smoking driver, but I have found the seats comfortable and the staff friendly. One driver was so worried I would not be able to find the university on my own (after living there for 4 weeks) that he enlisted a student to deliver me there. When she saw me getting off to go to the hotel, she in turn enlisted another student who was also getting off at my stop to be sure that I found the hotel. Oh and the going rate is between $7 and $11 each way. But, back to the original story...

Delicious little fish that tasted like heaven.

Selen's birthday was a blast. Due to my lack of close friends (... I am still optimistic) as well as the social taboo of single women drinking in public places, I have not had a "night on the town" since I arrived. We headed to a fasil in Taksim, the famous center of Istanbulli nightlife and shopping (as well as the home to the Turkish Worker's Party--yes the communists are located in the center of Turkish metropolitan capitalism... hahaha.) We went in through some door that looked like an alley access route and then proceeded up a flight of stairs into a beautiful, dimly lit restaurant. I got to meet her friends (who were all amazing and so patient with both my English and Turkish), we got to dance to traditional music and eat delicious mezes (Turkish tapas.) The raki flowed, as did the music, as did the dancing. It was one of the more refreshing nights I have had (though, truth be told raki leaves you with a bad headache...)

The damage, both to the food and to my head...