Papa jokes that I make the big bucks now. I earn ok, but work gets in the way of your blog. In some ways our quality of life dropped since I started my new job. I used to experiment with interesting dishes and prepare appetizer plates. Now I just make sure the dishes I cook are healthy, and they are pretty boring. Big part of weekends are dedicated to errands, although we make sure to turn those into fun expeditions for you. Not that we're complaining. We prefer this scenario over not making ends meet. You continue to display exciting signs of growth everyday. As time goes by, I forget some of them if I don't write them down. As for those that I do remember - it's not the same as a fresh report. Over a month a go we went on a trip to Istanbul and Budapest, and I still didn't write about that. So here is a summary.
We left on December 21st. Nine Roza and Dede Avram greeted us at the airport, joyous to see you. Nine held her arms out in invitation, and you, smiled and went to her, like slipping into comfortable pajamas. Our guess is that you recognized her from when you were a baby. That encounter set the tone between you two for the rest of the trip. You and Nine shared many games and household adventures. You drew pictures, played with my old dolls, sang songs, dressed up, and explored the apartment, discovering the exciting detergent closet, laundry pins, scarves, shoes, and the secret kitchen balcony, where you would hide, closing the door behind you, and if anyone dared open, you'd say "No!"
You even wore the dress that belonged to Nine when she was a baby. A dress that is now 63 years old!
It was hand-sewn, especially for Nine, using pure wool fabric.
Dede, on the other hand, wasn't as fortunate. You avoided him, unless you wanted to watch Elmo on the computer, clip laundry pins on someone, or eat olives. In those cases, whatever it was that kept you away from him, went away, and you climbed on his lap like a little monkey. The apartment was decorated in your honor, with balloons and party supplies.
In Istanbul we visited many cool places, such as Yildiz Park,
the Maiden Tower,
...ate the Black Sea signature hamsi fish,
...and kofte on the shores of the Bosporus.
Also, you received your second ever haircut, crying your heart out from first snip to the last. This time the lolly pop didn't do the trick.
We also met with relatives - my uncle and his family, and their neighbor Yasemin. I wouldn't have thought of mentioning Yasemin in your blog, had it not been for your enthusiasm to be in her company. You attacked her with love, gave her free hugs, followed her home, and didn't want to leave. We also met with my grandmother - your great grandmother, and washed your butt in her tub, where my butt was washed many times, when I was a baby.
While in Istanbul, we took a trip to Budapest, equipped with additional arsenal of winter clothes for you, compliments of grandparents. Budapest was ok. Years of communism, post communist economic hardship, and the effects of cold weather and non-Mediterreanism... A pretty city that lacked charm. Our hotel was nice, and the owner or manager that we met as we were leaving, was delightful, and spoke fluent Italian.
You and Papa shared a Kurtosh Kalach, a gigantic cylinder dough dipped in cinnamon. The most popular tourist food recommended by a tour guide.
We also managed to visit the famous synagogue as we were heading back to the airport, after multiple failed attempts. Here is a picture of you, studying the names on the leaves of a holocaust memorial.
On our last night in Istanbul, while Papa and I packed, you fell asleep watching Elmo, Nine and Dede watching you.
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