Relaxing Ottoman Style

Our second day in Safranbolu broke bright, clear and crisp. The temperature dipped into the 50's at night, but heated up again to the low 80's during the day - even hotter in the sun.  We happened to be in town during the 12th Annual International Documentary Film Festival (we didn't attend), an "antiques" bazaar a.k.a. junk on tables (but interesting junk), and a folk dance demonstration.  So we drank cay (Turkish tea, pronounced "chai"), wandered about, and ate more lokum (saffron-flavored!)

 Our pension was run by a nice Turkish Muslim couple who spoke English fairly well, and Helena took the opportunity to quiz them about all the different spices and fruits she saw in the market (Turkish cranberries, jujubes, Hawthorne apples, etc.). They also made us a lovely vegetarian lunch - the best food we had in town (we are both over the whole meat thing).  The only downside to the pension was the proximity to the loudspeaker on the mosque which blasted a call to prayer at 5:30 a.m. every morning.  While we have heard this every morning in Turkey (you can hear the calls across the city in Istanbul), this one was particularly loud.  There is no way anyone could sleep through it!

We have been drinking cay like the locals - several times a day, although Helena tells me that normally she drinks much more tea at home.  Which led her to query - which country consumes more tea per capita, Britain or New Zealand? Well, as it turns out, it is nearly a tie between Britain and ..... Turkey!  Since most people in Turkey don't drink alcohol, it is the tea shop that replaces the pub for a place to gather with friends (backgammon is the game of choice in this country).  The photo shows the typical Turkish tea glass, saucer and spoon, and you have to hold the glass at the rim as the tea is piping hot.  I usually don't put sugar in my tea, but the intense brewing of Turkish tea leaves it begging for a couple cubes.