Well, we had a couple hours left over yesterday after the car fiasco, and we spent them first in a bar getting a drink, watching soccer and giving me time to calm down. We stopped at Migros Store for water, wine and snacks for our room (the roof-top terrace is a good place to hang out) and then walking down by the port. I just had no appetite at all.
But things look up in the morning.
We are on the top floor in a corner room. Two sides of the room are windows, with a great view over the town of Kuşadasi. That said, this is not a luxury place by any stretch of the imagination, rather it is pretty basically a hostel room with bathroom. It is very well located for our needs, and there is a nice terrace up top where we spent a few hours last night.
We are here because Kuşadasi is where we catch the once-a-day boat over to Samos, Greece, so we can continue our trip island hopping south of Mykonos. So for us it is basically a utilitarian stop, with (we thought) a couple interesting places to see on the side.
That said, one of our strengths as a (traveling) couple is that we can make lemonade out of crap. So we just set out to explore this little port city and see what is up.
There is a main shopping district in the middle of this old town area, and there are some pretty good bars (one has “Happy Hour” all day long, and I want to try it out at 9:00 to see if it’s true…) and lots of variety in the cafés, from old-man local coffee shops to very expensive, small food places.
We walked all along the sea front, and out of the old historic core, that maze that was so confusing yesterday, into more modern parts of the city. Anytime one of us felt like something to eat (“Now THAT looks good!” or “How about a chocolate?”) or to drink, we just pulled into the store or cafe.
We capped off the evening on the roof top terrace, watching the twinkling lights, hearing our last call-to-prayer for this trip, and finishing the wine. After all, we can’t carry half-opened bottles with us across the border.
Not only was the coffee great, but I totally scored by ordering a chicken sandwich and then asking for the red pepper. Well, he brought the regular red pepper, but he also set down a jar with a pepper paste in it. “My mother makes” he said with a twinkle, “it’s very spicy!”
That’s for me.
And that was the big score of breakfast.
Gail’s latte was beautiful, and her toasted cheese sandwich was good. The fresh orange juice was fresh and really orange, and we sat and watched life stroll by.
We just started wandering the streets. Funny little statues here and there, one market alley shaded with multi colored umbrellas, another with paper lanterns. White and blue seagulls whirled above the street by the corner of Bar Street.
The imam here has a good singing voice. The 11:05 call was sung well, and he followed it up by a few words to the crowd. I have no idea what was said, but with his mellow, slow voice it sounded like “The previous selection, Allah Forever, is dedicated to my loyal fans. Stay tuned for this afternoons selection.”
I finally spotted some Saç Kavurma at a little bar, and remembering how good it was last time we pulled over for that and a drink.
Hilarity ensued as the grumpy old man waiter, sure that Gail must have food to eat as well, snapped at me, “She is not just drink!”
“This is my warm up snack,” I said. “Then I will go eat a meal somewhere!”
"She must eat!"
But Gail wasn't hungry so we blew it off.
When the Saç Kavurma showed up, he insisted on bringing an empty plate and serving half to me, half to Gail.
That's when I ordered a beer.
“Now you want the beer? Hummpf!” And he stormed off shaking his head.
But I got a frosty cold Heineken, coldest of the trip so far.
So I ate my half, then pulled her plate over and ate her half as well.
He just was beside himself.
Humph!
He stormed off.
But I got my Saç Kavurma and a cold beer and enjoyed it all.
Hilariously, Gail’s Cuba Libre was on the “all day” happy hour two for one special, so of course they brought both at the same time!
And, the straws had little sparklers on them, so Gail celebrated the Fourth of July right then and there.
This is turning out to be a great day. Low key, hanging out, laughing, watching, drinking...
Subtle but interesting message: all the places fly international flags, partly for advertisement (Eat here! We have British breakfasts!) partly to look nice.
There is not a single American flag.
British, German, French, Swiss, Iranian, and so on, but not a single US flag.
And Turkey is (supposed to be, and has been) our single best ally in the region.
Maybe not so much any more.
Brits and Irish. That’s who comes here. We can hear it on the street and the menus and bars reflect it.
It is a very hot day, but surprisingly cool and breezy under the trees in the park.
Along the waterfront the sun is blazing but the breeze helps. We stop in a café for a frozen lemon and water. The frozen lemon is great.
There is a statue on the high hill looking over the harbor, some guy gesturing at the water, the Kusadasi sign below. Beside it there is a whole neighborhood spilling down the hill like a rainbow; a line of houses painted orange, a row painted blue, green and so on.
Amazing how the miles go by just wandering around. Two, five, seven, ten miles doing, well, nothing really but looking.
At the very hottest part of the afternoon we made a stop at the “all day happy hour, two for one” bar for frozen margaritas and a book break.
You know what frozen margaritas are, right? Adult slushees, like frozen shave ice in Hawaii but with alcohol. Which makes reading my already humorous book all the more hilarious. I am laughing and crying.
But the alcohol is very very low and the slushees taste so good.
It is so hot; 100 degrees and humid. I literally want to fill a tub full of frozen margarita and sit in it.
I am already on book six this summer. One more of mine left, then one that Gail bought in Petra. I’m already looking in the guest house libraries for new reads.
For dinner we returned to the breakfast place because we know the food is good. And... they have mom's red pepper paste!
Well, I had the single best lamb shish with yogurt sauce in my life. It was over the top fantastic, and with's Mom's on it I felt like crying, it was so good. A frosty cold beer and I was literally in paradise (Right turn, Aton!)
Gail had a simple cheese omelette and she says it is the best she has ever had. Add a huge mug of frosty Efes beer and she too was in paradise. What a great end to the day.
We went back up to the roof to finish off our wine, enjoy the cooling breeze and catch up on my blogging.
We heard the call to prayer one last time, then it was just the city noise.
Tomorrow we catch the ferry to Samos Greece, then connect to Mykonos.