Seker Bayram

We've heard that this weekend - Seker Bayram, or the Sugar Holiday, at the end of Ramazan, is a thing to behold here. But perhaps that we don't want to behold. It's a little like Mardis Gras, from what I can gather, except that all the abstaining has happened before, and therefore everything's all pent up. Our Turkish roommate, Ayca, claims that Istiklal (the main drag in the Taksim area) is chuck full of men hastling every woman that walks by, and that she will be spending the four days hiding in her room because she hates it. Sasha says that last year, when they were living across the street from a transvestite brothel, there was a stampede of men running towards their area as soon as the call to prayer went out that night.

Mark and I were going to go away to a beach area with some nice hiking trails for the weekend, but since we have to leave the country next week to get our visas renewed, we can't really afford it. So, we will probably sit at home, and maybe venture out merely to witness (or not?) the craziness. Who knows, maybe nothing exciting at all will happen. I know that I am just glad to have the five days off, especially since I am recovering/in the midst of a wonderful cold. And perhaps there will be more exciting news next week. Part of the purpose of this post is just to let everyone know we're still alive. So, there you have it.