World Turkey Mersin

Sinan and Natacha - Our 2005 Trip to Turkey

Mersin Feb 27, 2005

We arrived ın Mersin around 7 PM and went to the apartment where Sinan lived while he attended University. The apartment hasn't been lived in for over a year and was very dusty. We camped out there that night and planned to check into a hotel tomorrow. Once we had arranged our camping sitution and had purchased some water and juices we headed into town for dinner and entertainment. Mersin is the home of the "Tantuni" and we went to the local dive, Mert, that serves the best in town. This a spicy beef wrap ın two delicious pita-like bread. It is served with lemon and parsley. I could barely eat one...the guys had finished their fırst one and were now on a second. For seconds a tantuni only has one slice of bread. They easily finished that one and drowned it wıth aryan, a salty yogurt drink, similar to an Indian drink my father loves. I will have to go back on a diet after all the food I have been enjoying here. At the restaurant we were met by Monica and the 5 of us headed into the old town to meet with Ferdi's girlfriend who works in a rock bar, Art Niyet. The Turkish cover band played a variety of music ranging from the Doors to Pink Floyd to heavy turkısh stuff I did not know. During the break some nice music from a new Turkish band, Mor Ve Otesi, which translates to Purple and Over. The old town is reminiscent of the Charlottesville Mall as it was a walking area with a great selection of bars, restaurants and clubs. By midnight I was exhausted and we headed back to the apartment. I have a full blown cold now and am fighting some sort of a lung infectıon. When I went to the pharmacy I had been given some amoxycillen, but now I know I am allergic to it as my hands and feet are now blotchy and ıtchy. So I stopped all medicine and am drinkıng lots of tea and eating oranges. I do have some cough syrup for the uncontrolable fits I have been having...But this is no reason to stop having fun and touring around. I have a feeling I will be going straight to Prompt Care when we get home.

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