Hanging Out in İzmir … Friends and Family

Wednesday, 17 October

The two days since returning from the trip mom and I took to Kütahya and Eskişehir have  been quite busy.  Chores at home; afternoon gatherings for tea and goodies; a ferry ride across the bay; and a family visit were amongst the activities that filled up the days.

Yesterday Melek Hanım and Özen (Aylin’s mother- and sister-in-law) hosted us for afternoon tea.  They live just a few buildings away, so we didn’t have to travel far to enjoy their company, and the delicious homemade savouries and sweets they prepared for us.

There was two different kinds of kol börek — one filled with minced meat; the other with zucchini; spinach quiche; upside-down apricot cake; and lor tatlısı, a dessert made with a ricotta-like cheese curd.  Luckily, Murat had alternative plans for dinner as we three women skipped the evening meal after all the goodies we enjoyed with our tea.

Clockwise from the left: kol böreğİ, upside-down apricot cake, spinach quiche, and Lor Tatlisi.

Today’s activities started out with lunch at Caffé d’Amore with mom and Aylin.  Located on a side street across from mom’s apartment building, this casual eatery has become one of my favorites in Alsancak.  With the weather cooperating, we ate al fresco at a table on the sidewalk — always a plus in my opinion.

Our tasty meal at Caffe d’Amore consisted of (from top right): tavuklu bÖrek (bÖrek filled with
chicken), topped with yogurt; yaprak sarmasi (grape leaves stuffed with minced meat), served with
a side of yogurt; and karniyarik (eggplant split down the middle and cooked with ground meat).

After lunch, we walked over to the Alsancak ferry landing to catch a ride across the bay to Karşıyaka (literally, the opposite collar or the opposite side).  The 15-minute boat ride is a quick way to travel, with the bonus of not having to deal with the congested traffic on the roads.  As well, the 1.75 TL (~ 95¢) adult fare makes it an inexpensive mode of transportation.  When I was a teenager, I made this trip frequently to meet up with my cousins and friends who lived in Karşıyaka.  Back then, the system was state-operated.  Today, the privatized ferries that criss-cross the bay all day long are operated by the metropolitan municipality.

left: one of the newer boats arrives at the Alsancak Vapur İskelesİ (boat landing)
to whisk us across the bay.

right: two of the older boats at the Bostanli vapur İskelesİ are tied up in tandem,
waiting to go into service during rush hour when the sailings are more frequent.

Mom and Aylİn opt to sit inside for the short ride over to karşiyaka …

… while I wander around outside and take pictures of the scenery.

Left: Apartment buildings line Kordon, the promenade along the waterfront in Alsancak.

Right: the Human rights monument in Karşiyaka consists of concrete doors through which the road to human rights passes into infinity.

İzmİr is an up-and-coming cruise ship port; today there’s a Costa ship in port,
as well as Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, which we catch on her way out of the harbor.

The purpose of our trip to Karşıyaka was to visit my long-ailing paternal uncle, Adnan, who lives in the suburb of Bostanlı with his wife, Suna.  I don’t have any recent photos of the family, so this one taken in 1974 at my cousin’s engagement party will have to suffice.  Sadly, many of the people pictured here have since passed away, including the seated ladies, my paternal grandfather (sitting), my father (in the center, with the bowtie), and my aunt (next to my brother on the far left).  Hülya, my cousin (and the bride-to-be in the picture), also passed away … at a young age a few years ago after losing a long battle with cancer.

A family photo from happier days.

UPDATE: Alas, my uncle (pictured next to my father in the above photo) passed away in January 2013, so I am particularly glad that not only was I able to see him one last time, but that he recognized me on the occasion of this visit.  His body might have been failing him, but his mind was sharp to the bitter end.

Into the sunset … in B&W.