Monday, May 26, 2008

I'll Have Afiyet Olsun, Please

Okay, I know I just posted, like, two hours ago, but I want to tell the story of our dinner before I forget. So we decided to go to the little döner and pilav places (they're right next to each other, and both 30 seconds from us- pictures to come) for dinner. First, over the course of dinner, we were trying to decipher the various menu items at our döner place. I asked Zoe what she usually gets, some kind of filo or pasta and cheese thing. She was like 'Um...I don't know...I usually ask for 'Afiyet Olsun'", which are the words that ring the place's walls. We were pretty sure Afiyet Olsun was not a dish, so we cracked up. Turns out 'Afiyet Olsun' means 'Enjoy your meal', or 'Bon appetite'. So, every day, Zoe has been ordering bon appetite from various vendors around Istanbul. Her ordering style is, needless to say, more pointing-oriented than visual.

Second, they brought us a round of tea for free! This might not seem like a big deal to you, but this means that we're regulars. And we've only been here a week! We engaged in something between a charades game and a conversation with them before we left, solidifying our friendships. In all, a çok successful evening!

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