Dear Friends and Family,
We slept in Saturday. Then, we spent the day with our friends. Our friend’s parents came over for the evening. And, before you knew it, it was time for us to pack and shower for our return trip. Why does time have to fly when you’re having fun?
What We Did
After breakfast which was really brunch, we headed out to Çeşme, a town on the coast about an hour’s drive from Urla. We ran into one of my friend’s aunts and her husband. (I’m telling you, his family is everywhere!) And, we did some final souvenir shopping before hitting lunch and an internet café.
When we got back to the house, our friend’s parents had just gotten in. We spent some time in the pool before heading back to the house to spend the evening with them. I played my friend’s father in backgammon and got incredibly lucky. I won the series (you play to five wins) after a game in which I rolled double fives three times in a row to start the game. Talk about beginner’s luck. Mr. mouse is convinced that he let me win. Secretly, I think he’s right.
We then sat down to dinner on the patio. My friend’s mom cooked an amazing dinner of grilled lamb, bulgur, savory phyllo dough pastries, and cheese. We had dessert next. Wait! I’m in food land here. Hold on the dinner menu. We’ll get back to that. Our friends played translator and we had an amazing night talking with his parents. They’re so sweet and so generous and so loving. I wonder if I can sneak them home in my carry-on luggage.
Shortly after midnight, a cousin and his wife joined us on the patio. We shared wedding pictures and more banter and the hours just slipped by. An hour or so later, our friend’s sister came home with her boyfriend and we pulled up two more chairs to the table. Before you knew it, it was a little after three and we needed to start packing and getting ready for our return trip. What a most perfect way to spend our last night in Turkey.
Everyone stayed up while we were getting ready and we took one final picture before loading up the car. It was so amazing that everyone stayed up the night with us. And, saying good-bye was so hard. But, we did. I would love to go back in a couple of years to see their family home Rize. Perhaps we will one day.
What We Ate
Breakfast was a repeat of yesterday’s breakfast with the addition of some homemade jams and so honey from my friend’s hometown.
For lunch, we had sandwiches at a shop in Çeşme that is famous for its sandwiches. The sandwiches are sliced cured meats and cheese served on a toasted sesame roll with hot peppers and sour pickles on the side. Mr. mouse and I had ours without cheese. They were excellent. I can see why my friend would sometimes drive out with his friends just for the sandwiches.
For dinner, we had grilled lamb, bulgur, phyllo dough pastries and cheese (see above) followed by baklava, cookies, scones, peaches, figs, melons and pistachios. Then, Turkish Delight (lokum) and almonds and other sweets. Then, we had another course which was a melted cheese with butter and flour to be eaten with bread and a cured meat. We grazed non-stop from dinner until we left almost ten hours later.
What I Learned
After all of the sightseeing, and the wedding, and everything, I think I learned the most about Turkey Saturday night - the food grazing, the people stopping by and the non-stop laughter. It’s a simpler life, but somehow richer and more fulfilling.
Cheers!
mouse
We slept in Saturday. Then, we spent the day with our friends. Our friend’s parents came over for the evening. And, before you knew it, it was time for us to pack and shower for our return trip. Why does time have to fly when you’re having fun?
What We Did
After breakfast which was really brunch, we headed out to Çeşme, a town on the coast about an hour’s drive from Urla. We ran into one of my friend’s aunts and her husband. (I’m telling you, his family is everywhere!) And, we did some final souvenir shopping before hitting lunch and an internet café.
When we got back to the house, our friend’s parents had just gotten in. We spent some time in the pool before heading back to the house to spend the evening with them. I played my friend’s father in backgammon and got incredibly lucky. I won the series (you play to five wins) after a game in which I rolled double fives three times in a row to start the game. Talk about beginner’s luck. Mr. mouse is convinced that he let me win. Secretly, I think he’s right.
We then sat down to dinner on the patio. My friend’s mom cooked an amazing dinner of grilled lamb, bulgur, savory phyllo dough pastries, and cheese. We had dessert next. Wait! I’m in food land here. Hold on the dinner menu. We’ll get back to that. Our friends played translator and we had an amazing night talking with his parents. They’re so sweet and so generous and so loving. I wonder if I can sneak them home in my carry-on luggage.
Shortly after midnight, a cousin and his wife joined us on the patio. We shared wedding pictures and more banter and the hours just slipped by. An hour or so later, our friend’s sister came home with her boyfriend and we pulled up two more chairs to the table. Before you knew it, it was a little after three and we needed to start packing and getting ready for our return trip. What a most perfect way to spend our last night in Turkey.
Everyone stayed up while we were getting ready and we took one final picture before loading up the car. It was so amazing that everyone stayed up the night with us. And, saying good-bye was so hard. But, we did. I would love to go back in a couple of years to see their family home Rize. Perhaps we will one day.
What We Ate
Breakfast was a repeat of yesterday’s breakfast with the addition of some homemade jams and so honey from my friend’s hometown.
For lunch, we had sandwiches at a shop in Çeşme that is famous for its sandwiches. The sandwiches are sliced cured meats and cheese served on a toasted sesame roll with hot peppers and sour pickles on the side. Mr. mouse and I had ours without cheese. They were excellent. I can see why my friend would sometimes drive out with his friends just for the sandwiches.
For dinner, we had grilled lamb, bulgur, phyllo dough pastries and cheese (see above) followed by baklava, cookies, scones, peaches, figs, melons and pistachios. Then, Turkish Delight (lokum) and almonds and other sweets. Then, we had another course which was a melted cheese with butter and flour to be eaten with bread and a cured meat. We grazed non-stop from dinner until we left almost ten hours later.
What I Learned
After all of the sightseeing, and the wedding, and everything, I think I learned the most about Turkey Saturday night - the food grazing, the people stopping by and the non-stop laughter. It’s a simpler life, but somehow richer and more fulfilling.
Cheers!
mouse
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1 comment:
oh my god, this sounds amazing. if the food alone is half was wonderful as it sounds, you must have been in heaven! xoxox
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