A restaurant in the old part of town. I think it's interesting that they named it Washington Restaurant. I wonder who thought of that!
A bin of mixed nuts. Peanuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and dried chickpeas 3 different ways.
Manti - a Turkish dish similar to ravioli. It is covered in a yogurt sauce with a red pepper oil over the top. The green spice sprinkled on top is mint.
A cushion seller.
A traditional circumcision outfit. Boy are circumcised at about age 7 or 8 in an elaborate ceremony. We were invited to the circumcision of one of Will's friends when he attended Turkish school. He said that he couldn't imagine everyone knowing that he was about to have that done! If it was him he wouldn't want to tell anyone!
Many Saturdays in Turkey you can find guys like these sitting around in the streets of the old part of town. They are waiting to be hired for wedding preparations. They stand outside the bride's house and play while she is getting ready. There are usually different musicians for the actual wedding reception. We've also seen guys like these playing outside of hairdressers as the bride is having her hair done for her wedding.
A row of Nargile pipes for sale. Also known as hookahs.
A house built inside the Ankara castle walls. A very poor section of the city. I thought it was interesting that there were three satellite dishes on the roof.
Change purses made from old Turkish kilims/rugs.
9 comments:
Mmmmm, nuts.
And a special suit for circumcisions?! Wow. Almost makes me want to do it all over again.
ALMOST.
It' sbad enough that the boys have to wait until they old enough to be traumatized by a circumcision. But dressing them like Liberace is just plain wrong.
(Love the mixed beans photo!)
Amazing Nat!
Thanks for sharing these! I especially like the colors of the change purses, as far as purses go... I would never carry one, but can appreciate the colors!
The hookahs are interesting as well... is that writing on the pipe part? I see either fancy scroll work or some kind of design and wondered what it said?
Manti sounds dang yummy! I think I want to try it at least once. Do you know how to make it?
Glad Will did not have to go through the "elaborate ceremony" while he was there. He is a funny kid.
I love all the pictures and can't wait to see more!
What do you mean plain wrong? They are treated like princes, they get tons of money and gold and as much candy as they want.
My brother's circumcision was one of the occasions I wanted to be a boy. They get to do all that stuff in return for a few days' mild pain? Most of them don't even cry. So unfair!
It's traumatizing alright, but for the sisters;)
It's amazing to me how old some of the buildings are over there - in Germany, some are a thousand years old (with some repair, I'm sure).
I chuckled over derya's comment about "mild" pain in circumsion. I understand it's quite painful. I'd forego the candy and money to avoid it.
With the movement against circumsion in the US, I wonder if it will increase HIV rates - studies seem to suggest circumsized men have reduced risk.
See where my mind goes - all over a picture of a boy in a tiara.
They give them so much anesthetic stuff that by the time they feel the pain it's half healed. Believe me I witnessed five cousins and a brother go through it, and none of them would exchange the glory, the candy and the money.
Also, it's a big part of being a "man"; like, you can't get married if you are not circumcised. Hehehe.. It's a bit like the baptism in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, more painful though ;)
Strictly no tiaras!
heyjoe - please! you would look ridiculous parading around town in a circumcision costume! maybe the boy would be interested in doing it and then you can live vicariously through him!
citizen of the world - well...the boys here look forward to it believe it or not! they get excited and tell everyone about it!
charlie girl - we brought a slew of these change purses back with us when we were in the states for 7 months to give away.
the hookah pipe is wrapped with a piece of carpet...not writing.
manti is good...if you like plain yogurt! and nope...i don't know how to make it. well i can buy the noodles and make it, but i can't make the noodles from scratch like they do.
derya - i know. i've seen them treated like princes. i do feel sorry for the girls!
hahn - i know...i have many more building pictures to post at some point. and they are old!
having never gone through a circumcision i can't say if it is painful or not. i just know that the boys here get excited about it when it is their turn!
derya - i love that you commented back to hahn! cracked me up!
I never got no da*ned candy, money, or anything!!! What a rip-off!! At least when they did my tonsils I got ice cream for a bit.
mike - i am so sorry. if you want i can send you some turkish candy. if it will help.
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