Happily Ever After

Today Sarah, Alix and I decided to meet for lunch with some fellow Au Pairs in Bebek. Alix had spent the last day researching how to get there online, and I had some scribbled directions, but neither of us was feeling very confident that we would get there in one piece. All we were sure of was that we had to take three buses, the first being the 48 (“No A, B or C!!”). We were to take this bus to the main station. From that point on we would be on our own, only equipped a written translation of “What bus number do I take to Bebek”, our cell phones and our senses (or lack thereof). Anyone who knows me very well will tell you that I lack any sense of general direction. Pretty sure I was born without an internal compass. Alix assured me she wouldn’t be much help either. Oh well, two fools are better than one.

As I walked to the bus stop this morning to meet Alix, the grey skies didn’t discourage me much, the dog following me on the other hand... The area outside of the gated community has a lot of stray dogs, the one that was following me was a big yellow dirty thing. I actually tried to take a picture over my shoulder (too scared to look the beast in the eye), but all I got was a picture of my hair. Sorry guys. I’ve looked online and here is the closet thing I can find.

Behold the mighty beast

10 minutes later when I got to Alix the beast finally left me alone. We sat there talking as the 48 A, B, C and L passed by getting a little worried. All the buses look different, some are brand new, some are sketchy and old. Some have electronic signs, other have little cards taped on the front window. The buses in Turkey don’t stop at the stops, you have to flag them down. Each bus zoomed by pretty quickly, we just got a glimpse of the number when they passed (especially hard with the card signs). Some 20 minutes later a 48 actually slowed down and HONKED at us and we got on. We definitely would not have even noticed this bus otherwise. I actually think Alix called this a “miracle”.

This bus wound through the countryside for about an hour before it got to the main station. I expected the main station to be some indoor facility with a electronic board with times of departure and destination, maybe even a help desk. The reality was pretty shocking. Alix and I got off at the final stop to see some six block long spread of buses with roads running through the centre (the centre being a 5 point intersection...yeah). What have we got our selves into. There was not a help desk in sight. We ran over to a pretzel stand and I showed a customer my handy dandy piece of paper. All he wrote down on my paper was DT1 DT2 and then he pointed down the road. Thank you man with bread crumbs in your beard, you were most helpful. When he pointed down the road, we figured our bus stop would be pretty close, but it was on the other side of the 5 point intersection (at least 3 blocks down). I think we stopped no less than five times to ask directions, with each stop getting more worried when they pointed us further down. Finally we saw the DT1 bus, got on and made it to the waterfront. The next transfer was much easier. Thank you baby Jesus we somehow arrived in Bebek... on time!

We met at a Starbucks on the waterfront. This is by far, is the nicest Starbucks I have ever seen. It’s all wood, and the back is glass overlooking the Bosphorous. Here we met Sarah, Lacey and Nicole. Super nice girls. Lacey has been here for 11 months and got us up to speed on things that we should see in this area. She brought us to a super cute cafe called Happily Ever After. When she told me the name I was already in love (I have a nerdy collection of old fairy tales). We chatted and ate for about an hour. The whole time I was there I thought it was pretty ironic. I kept thinking that I, like the heros of the Grimm’s Brother’s or Hans Christian Anderson’s tales, had survived both beast and a journey filled with struggles to arrive at the end, happily ever after. Literally. 

Inside the Starbucks

View from Starbucks- hard to believe I know.

From left to right: Sarah, Me, Lacey, Nicole and Alix. We almost all got the same thing these yummy sandwiches with mozzarella, avocado, rocket, red pepper and olives. 

The view of the Bosphorous

Alix and I had to leave pretty early since it wasn’t our off day, but we did get a little bit of a chance to look around. We even got to try some Turkish ice cream. It’s different...a lot stickier, but delicious. Bebek is beautiful and I would love to come back when the weather is nicer. After today I am definitely feeling a lot better about seeing other parts of the city. 

From now on you can call me: Janjulee, Master of Public Transit.

Special thanks to Alix, my ginger beacon of hope, for keeping sane the entire time on the bus, between transfer, and especially when asking for directions. Those two house of travel were hectic but so worth it!

Thanks Alix!