Trabzon and Rize Day One

I'm breaking this up into three parts because there was so much fun that we had and this post would be pages and pages with all of the photos I want to include.

Trabzon!

Memorial Day weekend gave us three days to get out of Istanbul and explore some more of this country. We were invited to go with some friends to Trabzon, off in the northeast corner of the country. Trabzon has about 250,000 people and of course, compared to Istanbul's 18 million plus, it seems like such a quaint little village.

We woke up at four something in the morning to hop on a shuttle with our friends and travel mates to take us to the the airport on the Asian side of the city. The flight to Trabzon takes about an hour and a half. They have a tiny airport right on the Black Sea. We met our driver, arranged beforehand by another travel mate and we were off.

Our first stop was Uzungöl, Long Lake, up in the mountains. Yes, there are beautiful green forested mountains! It was so refreshing to see and once we got out of the van, refreshing to breathe clean mountain air. It's been so long!

It is nice to be there, but Uzungöl is a rather smallish lake, so there is little to do except for strolling about the touristy village and maybe grab a bite to eat. They do have paddle boats and bicycles for rent, but it was a bit chilly, so we opted for a mere stroll.

Requisite family shot. And snow!

Uzungöl. A-frames on the far shore. There was a lot of alpine architecture going on.

After Uzungöl, we stopped for a bite and descended back to Trabzon to see their Hagia Sophia, walk the pazar and check into our hotel.

Hagia Sophia is a compact church from the thirteenth century. The church is located on a hill above the city and has wonderful views. They also have beautiful grounds for strolling, or in our case, running after a very excited toddler who was about done being in a van all day.

Some of the frescoes inside the church.

The church and bell tower.

Getting a peek at the city below.

Looking west. A sample of the coastline.

He climbed into a fountain, rather, I let him climb in the fountain because it was dry.

Mama and her babe.

From there, we strolled along Uzun Street looking at shops and stuff and entertaining the crowds with a tall bearded man carrying a toddler in a backpack. No surprise, but the people of Trabzon are as friendly as they are here in Istanbul. It was a good jaunt through the narrow and twisty streets. Nothing was purchased save some apricots and we piled back into our van to see our hotel.

We stayed at the Novotel, which is not a telecom company, but a hotel chain which isn't too shabby. It is located right off the beach and had beautiful grounds to walk around and it's own exit to the Black Sea beaches. The beach is nice, but the water is COLD, plus it being early season and not too sunny, they were mostly empty.

With us fighting off exhaustion and hunger, our driver returned to take us to a splendid restaurant, again located on the water, where we dined on white bean salad, Akçabaat köfte and lamb. The boy was thoroughly exhausted and would not eat and just wanted to run around. The staff of the restaurant were more than happy to chase him too so his mom and pop could quickly eat some food. After that, glorious sleep.

odds and sods*

*British & Australian informal of 'Odds and Ends'

This is and Odds and Sods post because I want to sit down and right about a little something, but I'm feeling a little aimless about it too. Also I like a nice batch of new photos to accompany my dry and dusty prose and I have none, so I'm including some random photos in here today.

It is May 17! We have been in Istanbul for one year and one day! We still love it and don't want to think about leaving. Leaving is part of the deal so we've got to face that at some point. We have a busy busy year ahead of us (meaning just the rest of 2013) and I don't know how we'll be able to do everything we want to do while we're still here. We have an in country trip planned soon that is in an area that I've wanted to see so I'll feel better about having done that. This country rivals the U.S. as far as how many sights there are to be seen and different types of geography and cuisine and history and on and on. I'll try to get as much done and seen as I can, but this country has been around for a long time and will continue to exist. I can always come back. And hopefully we'll always have friends to come back and see.

You can't feel welcome if you don't feel comfortable and I think we're definitely comfortable here now. 

I found this in TimeOut Istanbul. So nice! This month's in season fruits are strawberries, sour green plums, mulberries and loquats, WHICH is what I wrote about and are known locally as Malta Erik. Who knew? I'd never seen or tasted a loquat before!

A small boy in his jaunty hat and dapper footwear.

I think he may have a knife tucked into his Snoopy pants.

This place has pretty good burgers. They also have some good side dishes. Hellim is cheese, Tursu is pickles.

Enjoying the healthy (well maybe except for the lunchmeat) lunch his papa fixed for him. Cucumbers, cheese, olives, pickles, lunchmeat, organic strawberries and a few apple slices leftover from breakfast. Oops, I forgot his carbs!

More Food and Some Walking

I present to you a few more foods that are nice to look at and decent to eat too. These all came from the grocery, not the street market, but you can find the first two there no problem.

First up is Erik. That's me! Sort of. These are sour green plums. Some are more tart than others. This is the first batch I've ever bought so my sample is pretty small. These taste mostly like fruit that isn't ripe, which makes sense since that's exactly what they look like. They are just very mild tasting and very crunchy. I'll try to pick up more at the pazar tomorrow.

This is garlic. Fresh green garlic. I haven't untied it so I don't know what it's like. It smells wonderful though. I'll have to find a garlic-centric recipe for it.

This is sausage like you see in the old-timey cartoons. The label says it is Hindi Sucuk, which is sausage made with turkey. It doesn't taste like that to me though. I only bought it because of its appearance and I have to say it's quite tasty. I slice it thin and make sandwiches using fresh baked bread  and some kasar cheese (which is anywhere between mozzarella, cheddar and provolone, depending on the brand. Confusing? Why, yes!) and throw it under the broiler for a few minutes.

Now onto today's activities. It's Friday. The boy took a late nap yesterday and we ended up missing playgroup for the third week in a row. I was looking forward to going, but it was a new and unusual time in our schedule. So today, we decided to do something else fun and go for our usual Emirgan walk. The weather has been cool, breezy and cloudy, just like this time last year when we first arrived. I over-bundled each of us and we were off. The weather actually ended up being just about perfect. It wasn't too cold at all and felt really good to be outside. It was a good walk. Everything seemed new, but I had the confidence of knowing the ins and outs of where I was going and what I was doing.

I wish I'd gotten a few pictures from the first part of the walk, but I'll have to go again and take them. These are all from Emirgan, which is less crowded now that the tulips have passed, but is still a very popular park. They opened up a new section, which is quite nice and not terribly overcrowded just yet.

I picked up a bottle of black mulberry juice/soda at the playground for 2 Lira and a fresh loaf of bread on the way home for 1 Lira. I love how delicious and affordable the food is here.

Laying out the designs before the flowers go in.

A painted tree stump.

Flowers! No tulips though.

The painted stump. There has to be a prettier name for it than that.

Some mosaic (if that's the right term) using different colors of river rock. This is all new.

The homage to our fair city.

This is new as well. This area was part of the park, but undeveloped until just recently. Now it has a new water feature and bridge.

There is now an aviary with some colorful birds.

There is also a gigantic skywalk for the children. The only way up is climbing the massive rope pyramid at the end or climbing up the ladder tube. The slide is the largest I have seen in a public park anywhere. Litigious Americans prevent this structure from ever making its way across the ocean.

A Brief Excursion Overseas

I was recently afforded a trip back to the homeland rather unexpectedly which was A Very Wonderful Thing. Granted the whole family is scheduled to return to those environs late next month, but this was just me. Last minute. Colorado bound. It was so nice to be back, but the reason for my visit was the unease of having a loved one in ill, but overall unknown health and not knowing what was wrong, how long you might have to visit or how bad any of it truly was.

The loved one in question is the handsome devil below, my grandfather Fred Elmer. He's currently 92 years old and before April was the picture of health for most of his adult life. He was driving into the mountains to ice fish alone. Last year. He took a fishing trip to Wisconsin the year before that. He is an avid fisherman, golfer and wood carver. He volunteered at the local reservoir until he was 90. He's definitely the patriarch of the family, and probably the most admired man I've ever known.

Handsome young chap. Maybe only 22 or 23 years old at this time (maybe younger) with a wife and young son (my Uncle Dennis) at home as he sailed to Europe to participate in WWII.

This isn't a eulogy. He's alive and well. And getting better. But he was not so well before I came and is taking some time getting back to his old self, which we all expect him to do. I don't know how it feels to have so many family members descend on you when you're in a state like that. Is it comforting knowing what a great family you have and how much they love you? Or are you thinking "Oh sh*t, I must be really sick."? For him (who wouldn't think a swear word anyway) it was the former. It was so nice for me just to be in his presence. He seemed glad to have a house full of people chatting and catching up. We gave him plenty of time for rest, don't worry.

I hate to say it, but it was really good. I've never before put into words how much he means to me and don't always think about him as much as I could or should. I let him know, in a letter, how much he really does mean to me and to his whole family and all of his many, many friends. We're going back in late June and it'll be nice to see him again. It'll be nice to not have to worry about him while he's sitting next to you. It'll be nice to tell him in person how much I love him.

–– • ––

Now for the other part of the trip. It was really nice to experience America again after being away in a lovely, yet foreign country for a year. My cravings for the unobtainable foods had mostly subsided, but since I was there, I felt I owed it to myself and my wife to indulge. Straight from the airport in the rental car, I stopped at Wendy's for a Son of Baconator. Terrible name, so-so burger. But the fries! They were salted! And the drink had ICE in it! It was a revelation. The next day, we visited the average BBQ place down the street, although this time it was GOOD. It was amazingly good! It was the first pulled pork I had in over a year. So I had it the next day and the next until come three days later, all I wanted was some fresh fruit.

So after dropping my brother off at the airport, I stopped in at the grocery store and picked some up. And some Hebrew National hot dogs (they had Nathan's too, but I had a craving!). And some beer. American craft beer. Oh, delicious IPAs. Oh delicious porters. Oh, what's this? A variation on an already unique stout. I've had several oyster stouts before and I love them. They date back to a time when beer was safer to drink than water and if you could get some added nutrients from other foods, then even better! For the uninitiated, the beer does not contain actual oysters. They run the hot wort (pre-fermented beer) through a vat full of oysters to impart it with taste and nutrients. It generally picks up some minerally notes. Wynkoop outdid them all though with this concoction. I haven't tried them yet, but I will. I'm not afraid. And they only sell them in a pair. Classic.

A Brief Post About Food

The boy and I had lunch with the missus today at Backhaus in the mall. I knew it was a bakery that sold good bread and delicious doughnuts, but what I didn't know how mediocre their quesadillas were (although who am I really kidding with that one?) or how amazing looking their desserts were? I say looking because these beauties are still in my fridge. Who knows a thing or two about restraint, huh?

Little birdies on the boxes. What could be in there?

Peck. Peck.

Glorious!

For scale.

Dessert the first.

Dessert the second.

Now onto other food. We picked up this mysterious fruit at the market this weekend. The missus told me of these small fruits that look bruised that are supposed to be good and we found them. They are very different, but quite good. They are called Erik Malta. Erik is Turkish for plum, so they are definitely plums. They are quite small, the size of a very small plum or a very large strawberry.

You peel off the woody stem and cut them stem to stern. They have one to three smooth nut-like seeds inside. There is also a fine membrane surrounding the seeds that you scrape away. Then you can pop them in your mouth and enjoy. They are a little tart and a little sweet. The boy loves them.

The Visitors

April brought us a reprieve from the month of March that seemed like it would never end. Two Secretary visits meant that the missus was working serious overtime for two different weekends. That meant two twelve day work weeks for me watching the boy.

Reprieve came in the form of visitors! Uncle and Cousin of the missus came for a quick extended weekend trip to our fair city. It is always nice to have visitors, mainly to reconnect with people from "home" and partly because every visitor is different and wants to do new things. This visit was no exception.

They came in late on a Friday and we all just hung tight until the next day, when we went exploring. The weather that Saturday was as perfect as it gets. I could wear a long sleeve shirt and carry the boy and not get hot or sweaty. There was full sun which lifted all of our spirits and meant that the boy didn't have to be bundled up in layer upon layer.

We drove (drove!) to the Metro station and sped downtown towards Sultanahmet. We started off with food, which was very much needed and appreciated. The boy was mysteriously and repeatedly addressed as "Michael" by one of the waitstaff. He must look like another Michael that he knows. From there we went to Hagia Sophia, which I love to visit any chance I get. I gave the missus the chance to visit the gallery upstairs where you get the best view of the mosaics. I was in luck downstairs because there was a temporary exhibit of calligraphy which was stunning. At this point, the boy, so full of energy before, just conked out. So I took the opportunity to unload the pack and have a sit down.

Drum roll please... Inside the front door of the Hagia Sophia. So much beautiful marble!

From there, we walked over to the Basilica Cistern, but discovered our guests craved more exploring the streets rather than entering another site. We headed off in the vague direction of the Spice Bazaar and happened upon a quiet street where we found a unique card shop and the boy, now awake was presented with a sweet, yet creepy pop-up birthday card featuring an over-exuberant bunny inside. We found another main street and followed the crowds to the Spice Bazaar. We stopped for the requisite one pound of the best baklava in the world and made our way out to the Galata Bridge for a rest and a drink.

Troublemakers inside the Spice Bazaar.

I found a flag seller and bought a small Turkish flag for the boy, which made him an instant celebrity and brought the attention of several schoolgirls who asked for a picture. My good idea soon ended when the flag stick started getting closer and closer to my eyes. We found a nice rstaurant on the bridge and ordered some drinks and took our well-earned rest.

Having an Efes and watching the world go by.

Sunday brought cooler weather. Much cooler weather. We wanted to treat the Visitors to our favorite breakfast spot (featured on Anthony Bourdain's 'No Reservations', as well!). We set off in our trusty vehicle and made it out onto the main road, where we promptly came to a standstill as traffic trying to get to Emirgan to see the tulips had it snarled like nobody's business. It took us an hour to get down the hill that takes me fifteen minutes to walk down, even while wearing a small boy. After we cleared the park, it was mostly smooth sailing and we found our way to breakfast. We got the last table available, outside, on the edge of the roof, with no railing. It was a good seat, but it was chilly. I think we each had three or four cups of tea to stave off the chill. Breakfast was, as it always is in this fair country, fantastic, fantastic, fantastic.

Sunday night we had planned to go out into town so we headed home and lay low. There may have been an unfortunate accident involving the car and Uncle's foot. For that, I am eternally sorry. That evening, the boy and the missus stayed home and I took Uncle and Cousin out for some dinner, drinks and music. Well, sort of. I enjoy Istaklal and its environs, but I am woefully unprepared as far as being a good guide down there. I just don't spend enough time there.

We decided to start with a viewing of and from the Galata Tower, which I had never seen up close before. It turns out, it's quite easy to find and very lovely. Sadly, it was closed as we arrived. We then went looking for an area where a number of food and entertainment venues seemed to reside and found that they were all clustered in  a much smaller area than we had imagined. This being Sunday night, most were closed or not offering the usual sort of entertainment we had hoped for. We did find a decent restaurant, where we refreshed before looking for some music.

The music was more generic pop, versus anything traditional or homegrown so we planned on dessert and making off for home before the Metro stopped running at midnight. Dessert was a win! We found a quiet Özsüt on Istaklal and shared a slice of heavenly chocolate cake, and I enjoyed a Turkish coffee (maybe the first one I've had since moving here?).

Enjoying a chilly outdoor springtime breakfast. The boy got something a little chewy.

The beauty and grandeur of Hagia Sophia was just too much for one of us.

Enjoying the warm sunny day on the Galata Bridge.

Time for a little reflection. They were very good friends. Both had full range of motion and feeling in their toes at this point.

Monday was our planned outing to the Grand Bazaar with the whole group. I know how to get to the Grand Bazaar, but I am lost when I am in it. This was our first time without an expert spelunker to get us back out. Uncle was looking for a specific item (which he found; props to him!), which allowed us to spend some time browsing and not rushing past the "Please sir! I have best prices! Let me sell you something you don't need! Where are you from?! My cousin went there!" It was also the tail end of the  day so the keepers were getting ready to close up shop and go see their families.

After the successful purchase, we found our way back out (!) and also happened upon the book bazaar, which I had hoped would be a little more to my liking. It was also cold and raining upon our exit and we were looking for some food. Again, I am not familiar with any decent restaurants in the area, so we went walking back to Sultanahmet for more options and to load more money on our travel card, which I foolishly let run too low for us to escape out of the rain. It all worked out in our favor, as Uncle spied an Indian restaurant down a side street and we decided to give it a go. In a word, Heaven. The place was warm, the staff were warm, the food was fantastic. And the boy was VERY well looked after. He even got some ice cream, which he went nuts for, not being allowed ice cream at home.

Enjoying the free ice cream after his meal of delicious Indian food.

Hamming it up with our friendly server.

It was home for us from there and the next morning Uncle flew out nice and early. Cousin stayed along with us for a few extra days, but the weather became more and more foul and we were forced indoors. Literally. She was afforded a trip to the mall, sadly, and that was about it for any more excitement that week. It was great having them both. The boy was in heaven having new faces to smile at and have smile back. I enjoyed having adult conversation during the day and good meals throughout.

I hope they had a good time discovering this unique city. I discovered some new stuff too! I was able to try out a Metro spur that I hadn't travelled on, locate and admire the Galata Tower, have a beer midday on the Galata Bridge, experience Istaklal at night (I had done it a few times before, but this was more "explorey"), drive and park at the Metro (which means no more overpriced cab rides to the Metro!) and get myself and others out of the Grand Bazaar. Our next guests don't arrive for a few more months. Make your reservations now!

Working Saturday

Saturday, April 6, was a working Saturday for my love. Secretary of State John Kerry came for a visit.  We got to go out and see him the next day, but Saturday was just the boy and I. The weather had been cool to cold to wet, so at the first sight of sun, I took the boy and we headed out to our favorite spot on the Bosphorus. There is a 6 kilometer walk from Yenikoy to Tarabya and we hoofed it up most of the way. We headed back because my back can't do 12 kilometers with a boy on my back and it gets chilly pretty quick up there, being on the water and so close to the Black Sea.

Coast Guard boat speeding past a cargo ship.

Huber Köşkü - Apparently this used to be (or still possibly is?) a presidential palace. There is another one up the hill, which seems more likely, for security reasons. This one is probably more just for show.

Huber Köşkü - Some nice Ottoman architectural detail on there.

A happy boy and I.

4WD Lada for sale

Any takers? Sorry I forgot to get the number.