Friday November 15
Today's plan was pack up, and catch a ferry across the Sea of Marmara to Bandirma. Yes, this is unlikely place place for tourists, but here we could visit Selin with Deniz for the weekend. Also, it was a good starting point for heading to the Greek Island of Lesvos (where we would then get another ferry to Athens). All packed up, floors swept, dishes put away, lights and modem turned off, shoes -- ready to go! We pause. Then, the phone rings! We don't generally answer the phone here, or the door for that matter. We look at each other, then the phone, then each other. Hmm. What to do? Curious. AH HA, the downstairs phone rings, unusual, and we decide it must be for us. The ferry sailing to Bandirma has been cancelled due to bad weather! What to do now? After a little deliberation, a new plan emerges. Leave at 7 am tomorrow, on a ferry that is unlikely to be cancelled due to its large size. The problem is, it leaves from the European side of Istanbul, and we are on the Asian side. Solution: we crash Deniz's couch for the night :-).
Alas, Selin's house, farewell. We have enjoyed you immensely, and are incredibly sorry for the mark we created using lemon juice on a marble kitchen counter top. Who new that basic chemistry would come back to haunt me thus, in the kitchen, in Turkey, cooking a chicken.
We arrived at Deniz's work (after 1 missed ferry sailing, foreshadowing for Greece), and she enscorted us home. We settled on 'ordering' in a yet another new Turkish dining experience: cig kofte, knuckles and all.
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| Our proposed route from Bandirma, Turkey to Lesvos, Greece. |
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| Jenn has arrived at Deniz's palace! |
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| Madalene and Deniz figuring out how to get to the ferry for 7am. |
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| Deniz demonstrating expert cig kofte wrapping technique. |
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| Madalene enjoying kofte, a delicious combination of bulgur, mint, parsley, lemon, and lettuce. |
