Yasu to 2008

Evren and I brought in the new year at a small Greek restaurant in Taksim called Yasu. This cosy establishment is on the 5th floor of the Tomer building. The first thing we noticed as we made our way there were the long line of police tanks by Taksim Square, which I found a bit excessive since the city's New Year's celebrations had been cancelled in Taksim. Upon entering Yasu, I noticed the Christmasy tinsel hanging from the ceiling along with Christmas ornaments, an example of the amusing fusion of Western holidays by Turks. The meal was excellent, with the main course being perfectly done turkey (making up for the turkey I didn't get at Thanksgiving) and a pilaf with chesnuts. Our table had a great view of the Bosporus and Sultanahmet and two different bands spangled the night with Turkish and Greek music. At midnight, I was able to see at least five different fireworks displays going off simultaneously.

After Yasu, we headed to Egemen's house on the Asian side of Istanbul. I was surprised at how open traffic was on the bridge. We arrived and were quickly met with tequila shots, which kept coming through the wee hours of the morning. Because I had started with white wine earlier and continued to drink beer in between shots, I thought I would be hurting today, not a good thing since I have to work. But surprise, I woke with a clear head, and of course, an exhausted body. So in one last toast, here's to 2008!