For the first time in years, I am taking a vacation from work for nearly 3 weeks. The reason: to meet my boyfriend's family in Izmir, Turkey. We arrived three nights ago, after a 15 hour flight (and a stop in Munich, Germany). Thus far, the trip has been very exotic and unusual, especially since we arrived in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan (a time of prayer and reflection, when observant Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset). It has been a bit of an adjustment (being here), given that I do not speak Turkish, but E has been my translator and guide, so communication and navigating where to go, what to see, and what to avoid has been quite smooth.
Yesterday, E, his brother, and myself took a ferry boat ride across the bay near the Aegean Sea (Izmir is a coastal city), and we did some shopping at a bazaar, where I bought some trinkets (including an "official" Izmir coffee cup... being the crass American that I am, I couldn't resist), and we ended the evening taking a long walk along the pier. It was nearly sunset, and the setting sun seemed to be the most unusual blazing blood red, unlike any I had seen before.
This morning, we went to the Turkish equivalent of the "farmer's market" with E, his mother, and his brother, and I purchased several inexpensive jeans, T-shirts, and a sweater. Basic stuff, but quite a bargain. At the farmer's market, there was every fruit and vegetable imaginable, and the quantity was amazing. E's mother is a wonderful cook, and stringent about quality, which I admire. Three meals a day of excellent Turkish cuisine! The weather is surprisingly warm (the last days of summer), and humid.
All in all, the beginning of a fantastic trip - with the exception of women's public bathrooms, the "hole in the floor" variety (ewwwww!).
