after 7 hours in the istanbul airport (it was a long night) i boarded a plane for izmir. when i arrived friend byron was there to welcome me to turkey...we took the train, the metro and a taksi (yes i typed taksi...there is much about this place that makes me smile) to the apartment they were renting for the week. along the way it was clear that i was in for quite a trip. my eyes busy...the landscape of housing...the people on the train. it took about an hour or so, we arrived and after a much desired and much needed shower and a nap we hit the streets...
both joce and byron were quick to tell me how progressive izmir was...joce compared it to seattle...my eyes are not seeing seattle. she is seeing the city after a year of living in "rural" turkey...she has on her turkish glasses...this girl is wearing a different pair of glasses for sure...
the market was our first stop...vender after vender and tons of stuff...
we stop for coffee (okay i had a coke zero but this is joce's coffee)...the little candies in the dish are a variety of turkish delight...
so much to look at...
i could not resist taking this pic...there are mannequins in the store fronts (there will be more coming about the mannequins)...the style takes a little getting used to...
i am missing my gin and wanted to try and capture the best of the market...these are bins of pepper and red pepper flakes...my gin loves her food photos....
ah...another "have to take" photo...these lovely ladies are sporting swim wear for the modern muslim woman...i expect that i will see some of these in use in the next couple of days with trips to the beach and turkey's largest water park on the agenda...
more spice for gin (babe i wish you were here)
cats, cats and more frickin' cats...izmir is covered in cats...stray cats...there must be millions of these things...they are on every corner...under avery table it seems...no animal control :(
yum...
thought these were pickled peppers...turned out to be zuccinni stuffed with cabbage covered with a pepper all bound together with parsley stem (i think byron said parsley)...
after the market we made our way to the water to catch a bus...
here are haakon, jocelyn and byron (allegra is at international space camp - nasa) until tomorrow...
the haakster is quickly becoming the new man in my life...really enjoying time with him...just a great kid and funny funny funny....
okay i broke rule number one when traveling (no mcdonald's or other "home" food)...well the boy was really excited about going and just knew that i would love it...so mcdonanld's in turkey it was!
with tummy's full of mcnuggets, mcburgers and other mcfavorites we headed back to the apartment...this pic was taken in the neighborhood....
well we are off to an amazing start...it is so good to be with joce and byron...am really thankful...
kir
PS for ginny: loving you and missing you like crazy
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