Our day started early. Actually it just never ended. We were set to leave Dublin on a 1:20 am flight. The night started off fine - we easily killed time at the airport. We landed in Riga at 6:10 am, and this is where the wheels fell off. Baris and I were hungry and thirsty. And the Riga airport is the worst place to be at 6 am and the most boring place to have a five-hour layover. The one café was closed, the vending machines only accepted Euro coins and we had none left. We somehow managed to survive the next couple hours sleeping on the uncomfortable metal chairs. The café opened at 9 and we finally got a drink. Luckily the flight was not fully booked so we had a little extra space to stretch out.
And finally, after about 14 hours, we arrived in Istanbul. Getting out of the airport was a breeze: there was no line for the visa, no line for passport control, no questioning by security, no wait for my bag. The airport appeared to be a well-oiled machine.
The gang was waiting when we exited the airport. Baris's mother, Suheyla, her husband, Mustafa, and his daughter, Ipek, jumped out of the car to give us hugs and kisses. I instantly felt welcome. I'd met Suheyla a few times in Ottawa, but it was strange to be seeing her here. We headed home for a quick bite and a long shower. As tired as I was, there was no way I could have fallen asleep in the car. I'm pretty sure I stared out the window, mouth gaping, the whole way home.
Dinner was amazing. This is no doubt one of the most enjoyable moments of my trip. Baris's aunt Nur, uncle Bülent, cousin Ocan and his girlfriend Agathe came over to visit and for supper. The food was beyond delicious. We were delighted to eat so many vegetables after a week of pub food. The company was delightful. The whole family was very welcoming and friendly. We discussed traveling, life in Turkey and family and friends. Although I was exhausted, I took a few moments at various points to sit and appreciate how fortunate I am to meet so many kind and generous people. The evening reminded me of the truly great moments in life. :-)
I headed to bed in a happy daze, ready for tomorrow, my first big day in the big city.
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