Praise the LORD!

They went on a boat and left me here for a weekend.
I still don't know why, but I asked no questions.
I was just beyond excited to spend a weekend doing normal things.
I didn't take as many pictures as I was hoping...
none from Saturday night in Taksim which was super fun.
We went to a Cuban bar and it was soooo fun!
But it was all so crazy...
words can't describe.
So I'll just post some pictures :)


So Friday they were gone by like...8:30 and then at nine Laura and I worked out and went to Kavacik to see Patria. We fixed lunch and ate it on her porch. It was lovely!


Friday night I went to Kadikoy for Julianna's birthday (the one in the stripes-she's from North Carolina) and that was really nice. They were all girls from the Christian "community" I've met here so it was a really chill time. We ordered Mexican (which was awful) and chatted around the dinner table and watched the Office. I felt like myself again...getting to meet new people and ask about their lives and be silly and make them laugh. It made my heart so happy.

Then, SUPER long story short, I got locked out of the house at 12:30 am and had to take a taxi over to the European side to meet the staff, who were celebrating freedom and Elyda's birthday. We're not telling A by the way.
I LOVE this picture. Cavit was so cute the whole time. He never stopped smiling...or doing the robot.

This one cracks me up! It's Yilmaz (right before he pulled me up there) and Suzzi (the old nanny). She's soooo tall and he's sooo short!
This was the day I was up a full 24 hours...


So I slept most of Saturday and then Saturday night Laura and I met our friend Levent at Chile's. So anti-climatic when you're wanting real Mexican.


I didn't take any pictures of the rest of Saturday night but it was nice. We met some of their friends in Taksim and went to a couple of clubs before going to a Cuban club which was, hands down, my favorite. It was so great to see Taksim at night...so much life and vibrance. I loved it.
Sunday morning we got up around noon and walked FOREVER.
First to Bebek then to Ortakoy for the Sunday market! I LOVE markets!
I don't love hours walks.

A LOT of jellyfish.

These are some friends of Laura's we met in Ortakoy for dinner.
Alp- poor guy. He just couldn't keep up with the English.
But I got some really interesting Turkish perspectives on Obama from him.


This was Laura's friend Isek.
He was fluent in Spanish, English, French, and Turkish (obviously).
He was pretty funny...total player...but good for a laugh I must say.

Our view from dinner!
Shortly after this, they drove me to Etiler to pick up my stuff at Laura's apartment then I took a taxi back to the house. I got home a little before 9 and the family got home at about 9:30.
Kids in bed by 10:30 (yikes) so I'm hoping to knock them out early tonight.
I want to take a bath.
I wore a tank top today! It was so hot! Yay!

Tomorrow Laura and I are going running, I'm going to come back here and do Wii fit, then we're going to the Kadikoy market to see if I can find some cheap, relatively nice bathing suits. Gotta start stocking up!

Ok...E's TV time is almost up.
Gotta go nanny.