Day 5: Facing the devil and the deep blue sea

Today I decided to devote Da Fest Da Boss to braving the sea again.
The last time I went swimming in Istanbul I nearly drowned in a very graphic smashed-up against the rocks kind of way. At the time I thought it was some sort of freak swell or perhaps a passing freighter that had caused the waves but I have since observed that there seems to be these sudden vicious surges that rise up in the water with no reason or warning. When I see one now I instinctively back away from the shore and my hearts starts racing.

Now even though I wanted to get back on the seahorse so to speak, I didn't want to return to the scene of last year's crime (Heybeliada on the Princes' Islands) so I decided to go up Da Boss towards the Black Sea. I chose Rumeli Kavagi which is right up the top on the European side and has a sandy beach with a view of the third bridge. It is beautifully soporific sort of place. Even the fish were napping. I'm not sure if this was because of Ramazan or is the general mood of the town - I suspect the latter.

I had a late breakfast by the water's edge which was a very slow ( sleepy?) affair. Slow service doesn't actually bother me and especially during Ramazan - fair enough! But Grumpy service does. Grumpy service and menus filled with items that are not available. Imagine if I taught like that. Turning up grumpy and crossing off all the grammar topics that I would prefer not to serve. Sorry I'm all out the Present Perfect Continues and Participle Clauses...can you choose something else? Fortunately there was no grumpy today only sleepy :-)

Later I joined the Turks down by the sea. It was a little chilly to be honest but it felt good to wade in and feel swallowed by the sea once again (but not in a I'm-gonna-spit-you-right-out-again kind of way!). I lounged down there for a while and read Lady Chatterley's Lover . Occasionally, when I tired of Michelis' premature crises, I would watch all the Turks frolicking about in the ocean. It made me joyful. Poor Turks have very harsh work conditions and their holiday breaks are very small. Happy indeed is a holidaying Turk.

Me, the third bridge, da Boss and my other two laydees

After my paddle, I decided to walk back to the next town of Sariyer which took me past the boatyards, over a hill and down amongst all the wonderful wooden yalis. 

In another life I would like to have fallen in love with someone, moved into one of these old yalis and together we could have wrinkled like the figs in our garden.

Still time, I suppose.