


I read poetry. I sip tea. I nibble on toast. Indeed, I gobble up all three.
My new scarf, finally some ice cream, and a sneaky Barb.
*
The bus then took us to a carpet place where we saw how the silk is unravelled from the cocoons and how the carpets are actually made, which is way time consuming! No wonder they are so expensive. We also learned a lot about the different kinds of carpets, like wool on wool, wool on cotton, cotton on cotton, silk on cotton, and silk on silk. They took us to a show room, offered us drinks, I had a cay and a raki, and they started unrolling carpets, first one at a time, while they encourage us to get right on them to see and feel, and then more and more until there were carpets everywhere with more coming, so fun! I never thought I was much for Oriental Rugs, but I saw more then a few that I truly loved. Some day! Most shocking was how a group of people that seemed so ho-hum about the carpet thing ended up spending over 17,000$ combined! Holy shit! Who are these people?! Also, the man giving us our demonstration was Turkish George Clooney, ha!
I want to decorate like this, multiple carpets strewn about. It's great for lounging!
Turkish George Clooney!
*
Back to the hotel for dinner buffet. Afterwards we walked down the street, Pleen, Barb, and I, to use an ATM (I've got less money then I thought!) and for Pleen to buy a skirt. It is hotter then we expected. In fact, Pleen and I have been smearing deodorant on more than just our armpits, shh! HAHAHAHA. Back at the hotel I did some laundry, just some undies, but the sink stopper wouldn't open, so I couldn't drain the water out after. Ew, it was so dingy, how can 5 pair of lacy panties be soooo dirty? How embarrassing! What a day though, so much seen and done, it was time for bed. At the House of the Virgin Mary Pleen had bought a journal with the evil eye on it with leather and a fancy clasp; I call it the scary book and asked her to sleep with it under her pillow, lol, but she wouldn't. Damn that thing is creepy!
*
There was a nice bufe to eat at. (Bufe has two dots over the 'e', and means like the buffet restaurants.) I ordered the 'mix plate' as suggested by our tour leader, Selcuk (squiggle under the 'c', which makes it a 'ch' sound as opposed to a 'j' sound), for 5TL and a bottle of water. My meal seemed to consist of rice, a chickpea dish, some kind of meatballs, fries with grilled eggplant, a potato dish, and a stuffed green pepper that I gave to Pleen. It was all just ok. Pleen and I also had a tea, a cay (squiggle under 'c'), for only 50 Kurus (squiggle under 's' for a 'sh' sound) afterwards. And since everyone else seemed to be buying beer at the attached market, Pleen and I got a couple of Efes, in funky stubby fat bottles.
*
After filling up, it was on to Troy! Very interesting learning the history of the real location, the legends, the discoveries, but the best part was being able to climb up into a trojan horse. Pleen and I were like kids clambering up the steep stairs/ladder, sticking our heads out the windows, posing for and taking lots of pictures. Extra fun and worth standing, walking in the heat of the day through the ruins. I was also excited to be able to catch a photo of a 'Trojan' squirrel scampering across stones and scaling sheer rock walls.
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It was time to hop on the bus and head to our hotel back in Canakkale, which we'd passed earlier on the road to Troya/ Troia (Troy). Our hotel is right across the street from the waterfront, like a fantastic sea wall with merchants selling cotton candy, roasted nuts, grilled corn on the cob, icecream, and various trinkets. As we pulled up alongside the building our tour guide Selcuk pointed out that we were just next to "Brad Pitt's Trojan Horse"; just down a ways on the seawall is the actual trojan horse model from Brad Pitt's movie "Troy", so cool! Of course we got pictures, though we couldn't climb into this one :(
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While strolling on the sea wall enjoying the view, the people, all the pictures we could take, along came a marching band/parade of men in costumes playing drums, horns, waving scepters with bells, and sporting magnificent mustaches, sparkly vests, curly toed shoes, and Aladdin pants. Apparently they are reenacting the guards of... something. Very neat, very unique music!
*
It was time to have dinner, at the hotel. A buffet! Lots of interesting choices, I can't even begin to guess what they all were. It was pretty good, though nothing struck me as absolutely fabulous, so I didn't get a second plate of anything, unless you count my plate of dessert: one of everything! A cake layered with chocolate, whipped cream and cherries, chocolate pudding, and some kind of cookie soaked in honey. Everything here tastes fantastic soaked in honey!I totally forgot to take pictures of dinner, but did get one of dessert.
*
After dinner Pleen and I went for a walk with Barb, Jenny, and Jayde. We stopped at a liqour store, though all stores seem to sell liquor... anyways I found some Tuborg! Four cans and a Tuborg beer glass for only 10TL, so cool! Everyone else bought a few drinks too. We had big plans, but after heading back to our rooms and showering, etc, we all proved too tired and retired for the night.
The dessert was so good I forgot to even take a picture of all the good stuff that was in it :)
My cutting board is too small! FYI that's a venti in the background (V 1p WM CGT tea, lol)!
And then I had to grate the entire mother-- :D
On the menu for tonight: slow-cookered beef and lentil whole wheat soft tacos with spinach, salsa, and cheddar. A new recipe and my first experience with lentils.
Um, what is a lentil? Like a bean? A grain? Veggie? Mineral? They look like tiny tiddlywinks.
Also, I blame the blurry photos on the caffeine. Or the general excitement of King Carrot.
Oh sweet September, why must you tempt me by being so far away? My deposit is paid, my benefits are being taken advantage of while I still have them, and contacts have finally been successfully shoved into my eyes (only took three 45 minute appointments...) I'm ready. Well, except for all that other stuff that I have to wait to do. Student loan applications don't start until May and I won't get any more class info like a supplies list or class start times (like in case I need to buy a car if the bus won't get me there in time) until July.
Turkey is only 1.5 months away, though. Shouldn't that hold me over? I haven't been able to get excited though. Gah!
What to do, what to do.
Ugh, why do pictures mess up the formating? I'm very particular about my line spacing... I don't even know if I can post this in such a state!
I've been so bored. Especially in the evenings.
"Don't you have any hobbies?"
"I like eating."
"Everyone does. It doesn't count as a hobbie."
"Boogers!"
So then he says I should go write something. But I can't write when he's around. He's very forgetful and will forget to be shutted up. I don't even listen to music when I write, let alone participate in (or ignore) a conversation.
I wish I had art/crafting supplies, and lots of room for them to be spread out. I'd like to make something with my hands to go with some poetry...
Maybe I'll work on a spiffier countdown. With more sparkles and stickers... or candy!