The Best Fish Burger

Let us go back to my Istanbul trip. I have not finished about it yet. I'm pretty sure we were around the spice bazaar that day. It was a one fine day and we decided to really walk around and we came to this place. The mosque behind if not mistaken is the Topkapi Palace, where the past sultans have lived. It does look a bit like the Blue Mosque though. See the fish boats in the picture? Look closer...It is there where I wanna bring you.

Tadah!!! The boats were very artisticly decorated and it does look like something you will see during a "flower car" parade. Remember this is not any other boat. It has fake GOLD and it is......
*LOL* a fishing boat. Erm..precisely.. it is people who are selling fish on board. They will de-head, fillet and chargrill the mackeral fish, and you will queue at the jeti waiting to buy. This is the fresh and cannot be any fresher, nice and cannot be any nicer fish burger I have ever have.

Funnily this place is a partially self service environment. We will find a place to sit, however if you are not use to the crowds and eating by the waterfront, my best advice is that you leave. You will be sitting like on a mini stool next to a mini table and lots of fish bones scattered on the floor.

Why I am saying that this is a partially self service environment because you have to queue to buy your own fish burger and they bring you your drinks. So half-half self service! Check check it out my wonderful fish burger. They served the fish in a not McDonald kind of lousy bun but a nice, fresh long bun with pieces of onion and few lectuces. On the mini table you get a botal of lemon juice and salt to season. There will also be kids going around trying to sell you some tissue wipes. The tissue wipes are so effective in getting rid of the fishy smell on your hand. Great way of doing business. Bravo kiddo.

This pickle drink is some great stuff you pregnant woman must try. It will sure satisfy your craving for sour food. It has cumumber and cabbage leaf in it. Erm....not sure about the colour though. We got this from this little cart. I guess this cart must have also belonged to those people on the boat. Another way to make more money.

Finally, how cute and clever is it? This is their sea water sweeper, just like our floor sweeper to keep the place free from rubbish. Honestly so far I find Istanbul is fairly a clean and neat city.

Turkish Ice Cream

Honestly...this is not my type of ice cream. I still much more prefer gelato. No no...I prefer gelato. This ice cream was made from goat's milk. It smelled and tasted alright and normal. But it was just me who felt weird with the texture itself. So thicky and creamy. This ice cream is also costly according to Lyn in Singapore. The ice cream man will play with you when you buy ice cream from him. Play as in a sense of in a naughty way of scooping and passing you the ice cream. It was fun and many times surprises you and also make you laugh very hard...hahahaha

Look at the way they stack the ice cream cones..wow...actually their cone is not bad either. It is the nice waffer one which in other place you have to pay money if you want that kind. If not you only get the cheap ice cream cone.

There..that man was playing with Lyn. We asked him to move slower so we can take pictures. This was when he past the ice cream to Lyn and again he used his ice cream stick (Turkish ice cream's scoop) and drawn the ice cream out from her hand. Excited and surprise. Excited, because the ice cream might fall at anytime. Surprised, because he was quick and swift.

My upside down ice cream. It doesn't melt very quick either.

Some Turkish Men

I hope I will not offend any of my Turkish reader if there happen to be. From the Ataturk airport we took the metro to Sultanameh which was like the touristy area and where our hostel was located. Gosh to find our hostel has taken us very long time after circling the place and asking so many people. Well most of them actually came up to us to offer help. So nice and friendly right! Finally found our hostel - Nobel hostel. Outside it looks red, inside has 4 floors, top floor is the terrace where we have our breakfast and nice sea view. Our room number was 201 at second floor which has three rooms and a toilet. It wasn't very spacey but just nice and clean. But definately have to watch out when going up and down the stair. The height of the steps were not even. They can be too low or the other way.

OK...the some Turk men. Erm... Why the men? I know I am a married woman. But definately James will allow me to make this comment. Besides my title is some TURKISH men..not just some men..Let me make a list of their characteristics so you can get the full picture of them. But this cannot generalise all the Turk men either. ok.

1. Varies in height. Tall, short and very short. Like other nationals
2. Skin colour = pale, tan, very tan
3. Majority one has the top-fashion-magazine model looking eye and nose. 4. Mostly dressed smart as in nice shirt, trouser, leather belt and polished shoe when they work (including the guy working in kitchen). Hope this will make James feels guilty.
5. Hair = dark, mostly short and curve
With no alcohol effect but can dance holding hand during concert in park 6. Most like to stare at passerby
7. Most like to stop and say "Hi" to passerby.
8. Most of their everyday and every minute and never feel bore to say sentances especially to women passerby are:
Hi, how are you?
How is your day?
Where you from?
You are very pretty.
What is your name?
Are you Korean? Japanese? Chinese? *then started guessing where you from*
Would you like to come in and I treat you nice apple tea? *actually hoping we also have a look at his shop*

Where are you going later?
What are you doing tonight? *follow by* I finish work tonight at XXX and if you want we can go to XXX pub for a drink. *remember they are saying this to a stranger like me when I'm in their shop*

All in all... the Turk men - like approaching people. Purpose maybe for business, company or something else. But for me and Lyn we thought it was "kao lui". It is nothing wrong about that. Just it is something you don't see everyday let alone seeing the most of the whole one nation of the men will do. Funnily and sweet yet scary. I did not stake them! Just any woman who have been to Turkey will find this same feeling too.

Holiday in Istanbul

Awesome!!!! Since this February after coming back from home (Malaysia), I haven't really been anywhere after that. Gosh it was a near to death experience to do this. I really admire the people who can never take holidays and work all the time. Don't get me wrong as I do work so much harder than many people can imagine. Maybe I am the kind "work hard play harder".*LOL*

So on this August bank holiday weekend, I took 2 days off work with Lyn who happen to be my colleg from work and also a friend. Together we jet off to Istanbul on the Friday 22 August and just got back yesterday 26 August. Thanks Lyn for being my partner in this time travelling. It was an unforgettable moment. Lyn stayed overnight at mine and the next morning at 4am we took the taxi to airport to catch our 5:50am flight. We flew there with KLM (the Netherland's flight) and returned with Air France.

The Blue Mosque. Our accomodation was just behind this place. Certainly this is ours morning call too.Schipol airport in Amsterdam, Netherland. Known to be the coming best in Europe if not mistaken. Lyn has made a note regarding the Dutch people's hhhheightttt. Our hostel roomie was also from Amsterdam and he is dead tall.
I think this is some kind of TV games for the in-transitting passenger to kill time.
and laying down platform to sleep.