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January 16, 2005
I LOVE BURSA
Seymen's parents gave us a list of places that we have to go, and a book etc. So we went out site seeing, first and foremoost, to the Green Mosque, and the Green Tomb. They were so neat. There were a few people praying, so we waited until they were done and then we could take pictures. Oh yeah, and Seymen's mom gave me a scarf to wear, inside the Mosque, but Seymen and I had a little trouble putting it on (it was raining outside the whole time too) so in the pictures, it looks funny. It was flopping over my face the whole time, and the women in the mosque were looking at me kind of funny.
But it was so neat to see, and so beautiful. I really enjoyed seeing the city. Yesterday when we arrived it was too dark for me to see much, and today although it was raining and foggy, it is still very beautiful. Seymen took me to the Silk Bazaar, and downtown marketplace. They have so many things to buy! But Seymen's dad told us at dinner tonight to just get prices, don't buy anything yet, and then they will tell us if it's a good price.
Anyway...It was a fun day. We had this food, I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but it was DELICIOUS. And I tried Ayran...The yogurt drink. I didn't like it so much, but Seymen drank two of them while we sat there :-) He said tomorrow I have to try: Tussu --I think it's called that --but it's Pickel Juice...
Tomorrow we are going to do more site seeing, and maybe see the University, where his parents work. Then try the Iskender Kabap. This is the AUTHENTIC stuff. The ORIGINAL. It should be better than in Akteniz --on Ridge Road in Irondequiot! ;-) Oh yeah, and in the marketplace I saw what the lamb is really suppposed to look like when it's shaved off (how thin it is)...I'm going to take a picture tomorrow.
So...anyway...I have really enjoyed getting to know Seymen parents. They are both soo nice, and so interested in hearing about Rochester, and Seymen's "life" there, and Texas, and everything. (Although, I almost got in trouble with Seymen because he said that I sat in the kitchen with his parents too long talking :-)
My roommate here is Seymen's dog EFE. He is sooooo cute!!!! He has the hugest head!! And he only drinks moving water, so when he's thirsty, we have to turn the shower head on for him because he won't drink the still water in his bowl. His bed is a chair in my bedroom. This morning at 6:00AM, the call for prayer woke me, up and Efe and I laid around listening to it. (Basically, everywhere when it's time to pray there is someone calling for prayer over a loud speaker that can be heard by the whole city. It's actually pretty neat. I'm kind of obsessed with it, and Seymen doesn't know why I keep talking about it. but I think it's pretty cool)
Anyway, currently EFE is sleeping on his chair. Seymen's in the other room. We are both really pretty bored. We did our nightly walk to the Movie store, and then watched Seinfeld with his parents...ate some Chocolate. His dad pulled out Seymen's diplomas from Middle school, high school, and college to show me :-) And then Seymen and I had tea...oh yeah, and a bet for each other to see who could fit the entire clementine in their mouth. Seymen won. I agreed to pay him 10 million lira. (That's about $6).
Oh yeah, and I'm getting a chance to praactice my Turkish! So far, in public, I have said Hello and Thank you. But in the car, when it's just me and Seymen, I ask him: "Bende Nefret idiyormusun?" <-- That means do you hate me? :-) He says no, and then I go ahead and read all the signs outloud to him to practice my pronuciation. :-) But EFE is the one that I get to practice on the most! Because he doesn't understand English. So I can tell him to sit, lay, come here, good dog, I love you...It's fun! :-) Even though he doesn't listen to me. And he kind of cocks his head to one side when I talk...but I think that's because I don't have the Turkish accent.
Ohh...one last story, and then I'm going to bug seymen and then go to sleep...So we were out at the market shopping around, and we had to go to the bathroom...So we walked to the bathrooms, and Seymen gave me money to pay for mine, and he went into his side...so I go in, and I look around...and all I see are the A-la-Turk toilets. Well what are those you wonder? Basically, they are just a hole in the ground, with a special spot for your feet. Yes...No A-la-Frank toilets. So anyway...I held it until we came back to his apartment :-))) I wanted to take a picture of it, but Seymen thought it might not be such a good idea :-) hehehehe...
OK...I'm going. Tomorrow night is a big night. I'm so excited. Seymen's dad said that he would show me Seymen's baby pictures :-)))) HEHEHEHE!!!!! (Seymen rolled his eyes and walked out of the room when his dad said that ;-))
Posted by beth at January 16, 2005 06:50 PM