Life Less Ordinary: Day 11: The Grand Bazaar & Couchsurfing with artists, Part 2

After we eat and I purchase some wedding gifts back in the Bazaar, we make our way back down toward the water. Of course it starts raining and we are exhausted due to our frustration in finding the Grand Bazaar, our disappointment when we did actually find it, and of course, the lack of any real caffeine. So, naturally, we slip in a cafe to recharge during the downpour. It was a definite improvement.

Cappuccinos to recharge.

We buy some cheese and bananas to have for breakfast the next few days and hop a ferry back to Hande & Arda's. They had prepared us dinner! We shared some wine and ate and then they took us out on the town to show us what the locals do...

First, we bought some Efes (Turkish beer) to drink on the street. Um weird. The whole time I keep asking if we could get arrested/in trouble and they laugh and joke that it will be fine. Umm, okay. It seems to be a "bar-hopping" type street. Lots of activity, fluorescent lights, etc., etc.. They seem to get that this isn't our scene so they take us to a friend's restaurant for meyhani. Much better. Meyhani is where you get together and share Raki (the national drink of Turkey) and mezas (like appetizers or tapas). They ordered a whole bunch of mezas (olives, nuts, bread, an eggplant mousaka thing, fruit, chick peas) and a bottle of Raki. Raki is licorice flavored liquor, and strong! In fact they fill only a quarter of the glass with raki, then the rest of the glass with water, which then causes the raki to change from clear to cloudy white. It was interesting, and something new to try.

We sit for two hours talking about anything and everything, then walk back to their home and crash on the couches.