Going Downtown

Yesterday we braved the city bus system for the first time and went to the downtown district of Ankara! (Well, Justin had ridden the buses before, but this was Elias' and my first time.) It was fairly easy to navigate - the trick for me is going to be learning where to get off to get where I'm going! If Elias sits in one of our laps, he rides free, so that's a bonus. It was fairly crowded, but I was touched when a Turkish gentleman got up so that Elias and I could have his seat. We'll do just fine here! :)

We just wandered a bit taking in the downtown scene. It was definitely faster and busier than our neighborhood! Elias took it all in stride, though.

He enjoyed all the pedestrian bridges, tunnels, escalators, and various other fun ways of getting from one place to another on foot! We also ate at McDonald's, so life gets no better for that little man. The Cheeseburger Happy Meal here looked EXACTLY the same as in the States, minus the apples. He even got a toy with his meal, probably the same one you'd get at a McD's in the States right now (Humpty Dumpty from Puss in Boots).

I thought I'd branch out a little and try a Turkish menu item at McD's called the McTurco. It was two beef patties in a pita with lettuce, tomato, and a sauce kind of like barbecue sauce. Yummy!

So we enjoyed getting out and exploring a bit more of the city - we're excited to live in a place like this!