AT BREAKFAST WE'RE SURROUNDED BY VERY INSISTENT CATS, WHICH HAVE RECOGNIZED US AS EASY MARKS. THIS ONE IS SHARING OSWALDO’S BREAKFAST CHEESE.
Monday May 26th, 2008
Our quarters at the Kennedy Lodge are very pleasant after the dark, cramped room in Hotel Fehmi Bey. The four of us can stretch out in ample rooms high over the Bosporus and also share a comfortable sitting area. Adrienne discovered a washing machine which offered a set of challenges, but eventually did the job. Breakfast was served downstairs, set plates with cucumber, olives, cheeses, butter and jam. We were joined by two other philosophers and soon the conversation left this world to float in the higher stratosphere of pure thought and argument.
We were all feeling the need for no planned events, so we lounged around until lunch, which we took in the garden below our rooms together with people from the university and a several ‘in-your-face’ cats. One had obviously decided that a dish held high by a young woman contained something the cat had to have, and it followed her meowing and yowling all across the open space where people were eating. She did not like this, of course, and tried to get rid of the cat with little discrete kicks. Eventually the (bad) cat gave up.
After lunch we made our way down past villas and tennis courts to the very fancy Faculty Club with its beautiful pool area. We swam and lounged in the sun, before heading up to our quarters for further rest. Later we pooled our resources (Scotch, water and cashews) there for a very pleasant cocktail hour and then finished the day with dinner back at the faculty club. Every day we discover a new and delicious ‘mezze’ and this dinner’s winners were fluffy eggplant purée with tahini, and a spicy red pepper mix with crunchy walnuts.
