Mersin is a town on the Meditteranean coast of Turkey. It's about an hour away from Adana, and it's where some friends (Mark and Elvin) invited us to go this past Sunday. We met them Sunday morning around 9:30 and rode in their vehicle. They have a two year old son, and we had to drop him off at his grandmother's house so she could keep him while we were gone. She lives in the middle of downtown Incirlik, and there's a futball (soccer) field across from her house. Now, this is a professional field that plays honest to god professional soccer. She lives on the 4th floor, and her livingroom and kitchen windows look straight into this field! Mark told us that there was a game there that night, so we were in for a treat when we got back from Mersin. After dropping their son off and visiting (and having Turkish coffee which looks like Espresso) for a while, we got back in the car and were on our way.
Our main destination was a mall in Mersin. We enjoyed the view and the conversation on the way, and it wasn't long before we were pulling into the largest mall I have ever seen in my life, and yes, I've seen the Ala Moana in Hawaii. This mall tool up at least 4 city blocks, and was several stories high in different places. It stretched on forever! We went inside and hit the food court first, because it was getting to be noon. There were many choices, and me, Nikki, and Rob hit Sabarro's. It was a lot like the US version, with some differences. Our pizza was pepperoni and sausage, but the sausage was more like a thick bologna than it was US sausage. In addition, I had some fried potatoe slices that were seasoned heavily with all different kinds of spices and herbs. They were really good, and Nikki and Rob were picking out of my plate!! Brice settled for McDonald's, and it was pretty good, although not nearly as good as Japans version. Mark and Elvin got Popeye's chicken. Afterwards, we all had sticky ice-cream, and then we set off on foot. The guys stayed together, and the girls stayed together, and we mostly followed Elvin around. We seemed to be in a hurry, so we didn't really get to explore all that much. I can tell you that clothing prices are very high in Turkey. We commented that we don't know how they afford to dress themselves. We thought that it was just because we were in trendier boutiques, but Mark told us that prices for clothing are high all over Turkey.
The mall got really crowded super fast, so we left and went to do some sightseeing. Elvin (who is from Turkey) told us that there was a castle in the sea about an hour away, so we headed upthere. After a beautiful drive along the coast, we arrived at a sleepy, but beautiful public beach. Elvin explained that the tourist season was over, but the locals still hang out there , as do a few vacationers. The castle is called "Kiz Kalesi", and here is the information that I was able to find out about it: The castle in the sea, or Maiden Castle, was built by the Byzantine admiral Eustathios in 1104, and is situated on a small island at the entrance of the old harbor. It's about 200 yards offshore and was originally connected to the mainland by a causeway. There are watch towers on the walls, a cistern, and a Byzantine basilica in the courtyard. Just like most of the castles in Turkey, Kiz Kalesi has an interesting tale.
One day a fortune teller told the king of Korykos that his sole and much-beloved daughter would be killed by a snake bite. In order to prevent that, the king built the castle in the sea and made his daughter live there. But even a king cannot change destiny. A snake brought onto the island in a basket of fruit bit his daughter, and she died. Exactly the same tale is told for the Kiz Kalesi, or Maiden Tower, in Istanbul which was built on the Bosphorus as a light house to guide ships.
After leaving the area, we headed back to Adana, but found ourselves hungry again. Unbeknownst to us, there are veondors that sell cooked corn-on-the-cob right from their fields of corn. We pulled over, and everyone had a fresh ear of corn served in it's own husk. It was hot, salty, and buttery, and it hit the spot! I'm telling you, I really love the fact that Turkey loves corn as much as I do. Each ear of corn was only 75 cents, and it was really filling. We drove back to Adana in peaceful conversation, and lulls of quiet so we could enjoy the view.
When we went to pick up their son, the streets had filled up with handcarts and vendors selling their wares for the upcoming game. There were all kinds of roasted nuts and seeds, popcorn, lamb kebab sandwiches, and many other treats. Literally, the street was lined with vendors. We went upstairs to pick up their son, and found that Elvin's mom had cooked dinner for us all. They were open-faced beef pastries that were based in dough that had been brick oven baked. Apparently, you can cook whatever type of pastries you want, and them take them down to the local baker who will bake them for you in his brick oven for a small fee. We took our food out on the balcony and watched all the preparations for the upcoming game. There are two Turkish teams that play in that arena (all Elvin knew was the orange team and the green team...that night the orange team was playing). We enjoyed the view, the company, and the food, but then we realized that we needed to go ahead and leave before the game started and we wouldn'tb able to. We packed everything up and headed home. Elvin told us that her mom owns a beach property in Mersin, and she invited us to go back with them on the weekends in the summer time! Personally, I can't wait!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Dining Out
Rob only has about 6 people in his entire workshop, so it's not uncommon for everyone to socialize in off-duty hours. We were invited to tag along to a restaurant not far from home called The Wild horse Saloon Restaurant" on Sunday. We happily accepted and showed up at the designated place and time. The drive out to the restaurant was short and scenic, and we were there in no time. The owners of the restaurant came and spoke to everyone individually, and then led us to our table. All of the tables for this place are outside in covered pavilions, so we had complete privacy and room for all 16 or 17 of us. They handed us menus, and then took our drink orders. Now, the Turkish are known for their hospitality, and strangers will invite you home with them for dinner. Nikki ordered iced tea, and the rest of us ordered water or sodas. One of the guys in Rob's shop is married to a Turkish national, and she's really nice (we were sitting next to them, as we've quickly become great friends), well after everyone else had their drinks, Nikki still didn't have hers. We waited patiently, but after still no drink, it looked like she had been forgotten. The spouse asked the waiter where he drink was, and he replied to her that they had been out of tea, so they went to the store to buy some more. Now, any other place would've simply said "I'm sorry, we're out", but then again, they're not in Turkey. Shortly later, she had her drink firmly in hand.
We all placed our orders, and waited for the food to come. Apparently in Turkey, dining is a luxurious experience that's not meant to be rushed. Salads came out first, and a local favorite is tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and cilantro in a vinaigrette dressing. I hate tomatoes, but I love that salad!! We had also ordered french fries for everyone to snack on. Those came out and we asked for some mayonnaise for dipping. The ketchup in Turkey is really sweet, and I don't particularly care for it. After some time, our entrees came out, and we were all but quiet for a short while. Nikki ordered a chicken kebab (which they always take off the stick before they serve), I ordered a dish of chicken with cheese and tomatoes, Rob had lamb chops, and Brice had some type of chicken dish. Nikki has also ordered cheese bread, so after we all sampled what everyone else had, we were stuffed.
The restaurant has a playground for kids, but then it goes the extra mile with a horse round with two horses on a lead, and a small zoo of monkeys. There was plenty to see and do for the little ones, and the bigger ones simply enjoyed the conversation. Before we knew it, it was 6:30 (we got there at about 3:30) and we all paid and left. Two of our friends had asked us if we wanted to meet them on-base at a Turkish cafe' for dessert, and we enthusiastically agreed. I practically live across from this place, and I had no idea it even existed!! How crazy is that?? We went in and everyone tried something different. Brice had the pistachio baklava, Nikki had chocolate ice cream, Rob had candied almonds, and I had orange flavored Turkish delight. Yes! that stuff that Edmund loves in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" is abundant in Turkey (I know, go figure). What I didn't know is how many flavors it comes in. There was orange, pistachio, almond, and even rose flavored. I got a small box of the orange, and it was wonderful! We ate, and then made plans to travel this weekend with our friends. All throughout the day, I didn't have my camera on me, but I will definitely take it this weekend! I'm not sure where we're going, but it's gonna be great!!!
We all placed our orders, and waited for the food to come. Apparently in Turkey, dining is a luxurious experience that's not meant to be rushed. Salads came out first, and a local favorite is tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and cilantro in a vinaigrette dressing. I hate tomatoes, but I love that salad!! We had also ordered french fries for everyone to snack on. Those came out and we asked for some mayonnaise for dipping. The ketchup in Turkey is really sweet, and I don't particularly care for it. After some time, our entrees came out, and we were all but quiet for a short while. Nikki ordered a chicken kebab (which they always take off the stick before they serve), I ordered a dish of chicken with cheese and tomatoes, Rob had lamb chops, and Brice had some type of chicken dish. Nikki has also ordered cheese bread, so after we all sampled what everyone else had, we were stuffed.
The restaurant has a playground for kids, but then it goes the extra mile with a horse round with two horses on a lead, and a small zoo of monkeys. There was plenty to see and do for the little ones, and the bigger ones simply enjoyed the conversation. Before we knew it, it was 6:30 (we got there at about 3:30) and we all paid and left. Two of our friends had asked us if we wanted to meet them on-base at a Turkish cafe' for dessert, and we enthusiastically agreed. I practically live across from this place, and I had no idea it even existed!! How crazy is that?? We went in and everyone tried something different. Brice had the pistachio baklava, Nikki had chocolate ice cream, Rob had candied almonds, and I had orange flavored Turkish delight. Yes! that stuff that Edmund loves in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" is abundant in Turkey (I know, go figure). What I didn't know is how many flavors it comes in. There was orange, pistachio, almond, and even rose flavored. I got a small box of the orange, and it was wonderful! We ate, and then made plans to travel this weekend with our friends. All throughout the day, I didn't have my camera on me, but I will definitely take it this weekend! I'm not sure where we're going, but it's gonna be great!!!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Shopping in Turkey
I had been warned by Grandpa Charles that shopping in Turkey would be an experience like no other. The Turkish are huge hagglers, and refusing to haggle is an insult. I can do that. I love a bargain!! However, this is only true in the markets. If you go to the mall, then the price is firm; no haggling there.
We ventured to a small market place not too far from our home last weekend, and I have to say that I was shocked! All of the shopkeepers sit outside waiting to pounce on whomever happens to walk by. The shops are all crammed together, so as soon as you walk in front of the door, they are in your face asking, enticing, and sometimes begging you to walk in. They do this until you pass by their door, whereas the next shop keeper is waiting for you. We had to walk about two blocks to get to the day spa area, and by the time we got there, I needed a break. Even the spa owners are outside fishing up business. After our pedicures (which were only $7 by the way), we were hungry, so we made it past the same shop keepers who did the same routine, down to a restaurant. We went inside and were treated to a meal of a lifetime. We ordered cheese pastries, chicken pastries, lamb kebabs, beef kebabs, and chicken cordon bleu. We ended up with so much food, that we had to take most of it home. The entire meal was about $10 each, but we really ordered too much food. We've learned our lesson now!
This past weekend, we drove through Adana to get to the M1 mall. Getting to the other side of Adana was an experience all it's own. In most places, the road is 3 lanes, but the Turks will turn it into as many lanes as they possibly can. The horn is very revered in Turkey, too. As soon as the light turns yellow (right before it turns green) horns start blaring from every direction. We were told that the Turks honk the horn if they're happy, sad, because it's raining or sunny, because they want you to know that they're there, or because they want you to move. Basically, they honk it for any reason at all. You just have to get used to it. Also, you'll see crazy things such as 4 people on a montorcycle, (including babies) and horse drawn carts in the middle of the road. I'm telling you, it's insane!!
We finally made it to the mall, and life returned to normal for a brief amount of time. There was a metal detector at the entrance of the mall, but that' s almost common place now everywhere. Once we got inside, it was like any other mall. Some of the American brands were there, too. We took our time and walked the entire thing. We did stop at the food court for lunch, but we got there at 1130, and most places don;t start serving until 1200. We found a couple of places that were open, so we ate peacefully. Afterwards, the kids got ice cream, which is called stretchy ice cream over here. It has the flavor and consistency of gelato', but it is extra firm, and...well, stretchy. Rob and I found a vendor that piqued our interest. This is so cool...it was a cup of corn vendor. That's right, for 2, 3, or 4 dollars, you can have a cup of fresh, hot corn with your choice of seasonings on it. We love corn, so this was too cool for us. We each had our own cup, and then we perused the local grocery store. This store was like a Wal-Mart, and most of the prices were really reasonable. The grocery section was a lot of fun, and we took our time exploring everything. There were fresh meats, breads, cheeses, olives galore, and tons of fruit in the produce section. We bought some chocolate eggs, and a few odds and ends, then we left and made our way down to the Turkish "Lowes". It's called Praktiker, and it's exactly like a Lowes or Home Depot. It was awesome, but by this time we were tired. Besides, we still had to face the drive home.
We had been told to lock our car doors when driving in Adana, so we did. About 5 miles from the house, we had to stop for the light. As we pulled up, I noticed a boy of about 10 years sitting on the side of the road. I didn't pay much attention to him, but as soon as were were stopped, he starting knocking on the window. He had some small trinkets that he wanted us to look at. Rob motioned "no" to him and told us to not look at him. Well, this kid was persistent, and he began banging on the windows (even the kids windows) and trying to get in the car. The entire time, he was hollering and screaming "money", "money" to us. That was the longest red light of my life. By the time we got home, Rob wanted to go and get a massage, but I just wasn't up for it. I'd already had enough of the Turkish culture for one day. This is not a dig on the culture at all, and I love exploring different cultures; this was just a big change for me, and I needed time to process it all. It certainly didn't deter me from going out and about; we went out to dinner with friends yesterday. I'll save that experience for tomorrow, though.
We ventured to a small market place not too far from our home last weekend, and I have to say that I was shocked! All of the shopkeepers sit outside waiting to pounce on whomever happens to walk by. The shops are all crammed together, so as soon as you walk in front of the door, they are in your face asking, enticing, and sometimes begging you to walk in. They do this until you pass by their door, whereas the next shop keeper is waiting for you. We had to walk about two blocks to get to the day spa area, and by the time we got there, I needed a break. Even the spa owners are outside fishing up business. After our pedicures (which were only $7 by the way), we were hungry, so we made it past the same shop keepers who did the same routine, down to a restaurant. We went inside and were treated to a meal of a lifetime. We ordered cheese pastries, chicken pastries, lamb kebabs, beef kebabs, and chicken cordon bleu. We ended up with so much food, that we had to take most of it home. The entire meal was about $10 each, but we really ordered too much food. We've learned our lesson now!
This past weekend, we drove through Adana to get to the M1 mall. Getting to the other side of Adana was an experience all it's own. In most places, the road is 3 lanes, but the Turks will turn it into as many lanes as they possibly can. The horn is very revered in Turkey, too. As soon as the light turns yellow (right before it turns green) horns start blaring from every direction. We were told that the Turks honk the horn if they're happy, sad, because it's raining or sunny, because they want you to know that they're there, or because they want you to move. Basically, they honk it for any reason at all. You just have to get used to it. Also, you'll see crazy things such as 4 people on a montorcycle, (including babies) and horse drawn carts in the middle of the road. I'm telling you, it's insane!!
We finally made it to the mall, and life returned to normal for a brief amount of time. There was a metal detector at the entrance of the mall, but that' s almost common place now everywhere. Once we got inside, it was like any other mall. Some of the American brands were there, too. We took our time and walked the entire thing. We did stop at the food court for lunch, but we got there at 1130, and most places don;t start serving until 1200. We found a couple of places that were open, so we ate peacefully. Afterwards, the kids got ice cream, which is called stretchy ice cream over here. It has the flavor and consistency of gelato', but it is extra firm, and...well, stretchy. Rob and I found a vendor that piqued our interest. This is so cool...it was a cup of corn vendor. That's right, for 2, 3, or 4 dollars, you can have a cup of fresh, hot corn with your choice of seasonings on it. We love corn, so this was too cool for us. We each had our own cup, and then we perused the local grocery store. This store was like a Wal-Mart, and most of the prices were really reasonable. The grocery section was a lot of fun, and we took our time exploring everything. There were fresh meats, breads, cheeses, olives galore, and tons of fruit in the produce section. We bought some chocolate eggs, and a few odds and ends, then we left and made our way down to the Turkish "Lowes". It's called Praktiker, and it's exactly like a Lowes or Home Depot. It was awesome, but by this time we were tired. Besides, we still had to face the drive home.
We had been told to lock our car doors when driving in Adana, so we did. About 5 miles from the house, we had to stop for the light. As we pulled up, I noticed a boy of about 10 years sitting on the side of the road. I didn't pay much attention to him, but as soon as were were stopped, he starting knocking on the window. He had some small trinkets that he wanted us to look at. Rob motioned "no" to him and told us to not look at him. Well, this kid was persistent, and he began banging on the windows (even the kids windows) and trying to get in the car. The entire time, he was hollering and screaming "money", "money" to us. That was the longest red light of my life. By the time we got home, Rob wanted to go and get a massage, but I just wasn't up for it. I'd already had enough of the Turkish culture for one day. This is not a dig on the culture at all, and I love exploring different cultures; this was just a big change for me, and I needed time to process it all. It certainly didn't deter me from going out and about; we went out to dinner with friends yesterday. I'll save that experience for tomorrow, though.
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