Birthdays and Dustbusters

So Jared had a birthday today! We all celebrated with a par-tay at the Yates' apartment last night with some Turkish friends and some American friends. The pic is of us girls at the party. Today we had cake in class and then went out to lunch to celebrate. We are going to have to stretch out these overseas birthdays! All in all, I think he had a good birthday. Jayme made a homemade cake that was awesome...chocolate covered strawberries and all. (She does know the difference between baking powder and baking soda...I am slowly learning from her. She's an awesome cook.)

So lunch today...we began our meal to an array of American music including: 'I Just Called to Say, I Love You' and 'Lady in Red'. This may sound normal to you, but remember we're in Turkey! It was just too funny. The Yates have been keeping a log of all the out of place American music that we hear while we're here. I'll have to update you more often, it's really just very entertaining to be sitting in a Turkish restaurant and we hear 'Lady in Red' playing. They were just trying to make us feel at home, eh? Some of the music thus far that Jayme and Jared have noticed has been: 'Sara', 'Maniac', 'Summer of 69', 'Man in the Mirror', and the Titanic theme song!

There were no menus for lunch. They serve two things. I guess when you got it, you got it. They cook two things so well, why branch out? The food was delicious. I tried a dish I haven't had yet, and I will definitely have it again. Iskender. It's meat on top of rice with some sort of tomato based sauce. I highly recommend it next time you're in Turkey.

Okay, now for the best part of the whole meal. When we finish, they take the plates, and our waiter walks over to our table with a dustbuster. 'What is he going to do with this', I think to myself. Yes, he begins to vacuum our table crumbs up under our noses while we are all still sitting there! Am I crazy, or is that just very very funny. I got so tickled, I had to keep from laughing at the table. Who knows what he had been vacuuming up last because it smelled horrendous! What a way to end your meal.

Then on the way home, I saw sheep grazing on my street. I live in the city, mind you. But this is redefining urban here. Bet you've never had sheep grazing on your street before. That and the dustbuster, I was just done for. I laughed all the way to my door. Welcome to my world. I'm enjoying it. Glad that you can, too.