It was the night before our nephew Skye’s wedding, and the bride’s family had invited all of us to dinner. We met up at the Airbnb that Steve’s sister had rented for the family (7 adults and 2 infants). The bride, Işil (ISH-uhl), led our little parade down the hill to Karaköy and across the Galata Bridge to Eminönü. Then we boarded the public ferry for a scenic ride on the Bosphorus.
The ferry zigzagged between Istanbul’s European side and Asian side. Seagulls flew alongside the ferry, trying to snatch pieces of bread from the passengers. The setting sun turned the sky a brilliant orange. We admired the waterfront palaces and the houses on the hills. It was a wonderful day to be out on the water!
After about 45 minutes, we disembarked the ferry at Arnavutköy, a historic waterfront neighborhood with pretty houses. Işil’s dad Zafer, mom Figen, and brother Mehmet were waiting for us at a seafood restaurant called Zıpkın.
We dined al fresco, with a nice view of the Bosphorus Bridge. We had a variety of mezes and fresh grilled bonita (a local fish that was in season). The food and wine were excellent! We had fun talking with Işil’s charming parents, and learned that Figen had grown up on the big hill in Eyüpsultan. Figen doted on Skye’s little nephew and niece - she was definitely ready for grandchildren! Later, our hosts presented us with generous gifts: colorful handcrafted souvenirs of Turkey.
As Turkish dinners often do, this one lasted for several hours. Instead of taking the ferry, we piled into taxis for the (surprisingly roundabout) drive back to our lodgings in Beyoğlu. It had been a family dinner to remember!
