Hoşça Kalın

Last night mom and I pushed through our exhaustion and went back across the bridge in search of some true Turkish cuisine. We went to a restaurant mom had found in the New York Times, written up as being absolutely delicious and in a cool area. Even though our cab driver couldn’t find the restaurant, he parked on the street to go in search of it, and he came back to the cab with the host, who brought us back to the restaurant, which was on a tiny street filled with outdoor restaurants. It was amazing. I had grilled eggplant with melted goat cheese for an appetizer, and a chicken dish with almonds, peanuts, date or raisin like fruit, in a creamy ginger sauce with rice. Mom had pureed eggplant (essentially like mashed potato consistency, but eggplant) with lamb and a special sauce. We had wine, and I tried a Turkish coffee afterward (YUM). When we left the restaurant, they helped us find a cab again. The restaurant was off of a road, but not for cars, for the above ground trolley, but the cab came to pick us up there anyway, and it was a mad dash to get into the cab before a head on collision with the trolley (of either direction). Of course.

We made it home (to Maine) safely, with no glitches– and by no glitches I mean NO glitches. Swiss Air was even accommodating, and put us in business class (once you go business, you never go back). We also learned in Switzerland it’s against the law for some who is handicapped to travel alone … so much for peace, love and equality (and independence).

Overall, my trip was so successful. I met THE nicest people, both Turkish and American, and got to see so much in the short time was there. CIEE made everything so easy, and all of their staff was so helpful in making sure that I was able to get up the 13 steps so I could see the blue mosque, or the HUGE stone “ramp” to help me get up to the second floor of the Hagia Sophia, or the two FLIGHTS of stairs to the reception/arts museum. The city is so beautiful, but there is absolutely no way I could have even pretended to do it on my own. So that’s it until my next adventure … Thanks for reading!

Xo
Emma