"This side is Hagia Sophia, and that side is the Blue Mosque..."
We bought an individual pass for 80 lire and the four of us visited the cathedral and the mosque. The cathedral felt particularly good, and the interior was very gorgeous, especially its dome, which is of great significance both in architecture and art.
Achievement.
Owen and Beth walked together like a couple, and Ed and Alyssa also pretended to be a couple, following Beth a few steps away.
Although Owen came to Istanbul this time to protect Beth's safety, Beth did not regard him as a bodyguard. She always regarded Owen as a friend, and the best kind.
"Let's go to Independence Street and have a look..."
Independence Street is located in the new urban area of Istanbul. It is a downhill road from Taksim Square south to Galata Tower.
This area is considered a high-grade area in Istanbul and is very famous among tourists. The retro and bustling commercial street still has some of Istanbul's famous buildings and institutions on both sides of the street, including churches of various factions, consulates of various countries, and famous hotels.
wait.
The long pedestrian street is crowded with shops, cafes, cinemas and cultural centers, as well as music shops, bookstores, art galleries, theaters, libraries, bars, nightclubs, old pastry shops, chocolate shops and restaurants, etc.
There are street performers performing here, which dazzles everyone.
Beth was like a tour guide throughout the afternoon, taking Owen to visit various places in Istanbul. Obviously this was not her first time here and she was familiar with many places.
Throughout the afternoon, the two of them kept talking. Beth was also a standard foodie and recommended many local delicacies to Owen.
When you come to Istanbul, of course you have to try Istanbul's ice cream. Turkey's ice cream has a long history and is full of milky flavor. It is a delicious snack highly praised by the locals.
It is said that if you have not been to Taksim Square, you have not been to Istanbul. It is the center of nightlife for locals and a gathering place for night owls. Even during the day, almost all local snacks are available.
Owen and Beth tasted ice cream, special grilled fish and paki wine here. Paki wine is also called lion wine, which is a kind of liquor unique to Turkey. Grilled fish is a local specialty, and its characteristic is that it does not add any condiments.
The two of them had a lot of fun along the way, but Ed and Alyssa, as bodyguards, were not so relaxed. Fortunately, the locations Owen and Beth chose were all bustling commercial streets or famous historical attractions. In terms of safety,
Not bad, but not so good if they want to visit the old city. Like other cities, Istanbul also has a clear gap between rich and poor. There are few tourists in the old city, and the security is much worse.
The lights were on, the sky was getting dark, it was already dinner time, and Beth's interest was still very high.
"Owen, what do you want to eat? I'll treat you to dinner..."
Beth generously expressed that she wanted to treat the guests, and Owen smiled and shrugged. Foodies like to hear people say this the most.
"Of course you can treat me to dinner, but I have to think about it... Well, I want to have Chinese food, what do you think?"
Owen smiled and said, in fact, he just saw a Chinese restaurant and was greedy. He was not interested in Turkish barbecue or anything like that. When he was at home, his mother would cook Chinese food one day a week, but he hasn't eaten it for a long time after they separated.
I had lunch here, and now that I think about it, I really miss the wonderful feeling of combining many condiments together.
"Chinese food? Of course, no problem, but I have to think about where there are Chinese restaurants..."
Beth looked thoughtful.
"Don't think about it, come with me..."
Owen took Beth and soon found a Chinese restaurant with red lanterns in Taksim Square.
"Two, oh no, four..."
Owen made a two sign to the receptionist before he remembered that there were two bodyguards following him.
But Beth immediately said: "Open two tables, let's sit separately..."
It can also be seen from this that Beth really regards Owen as a friend.
Owen and Beth sat down, while Alyssa and Ed sat at another small table not far away.
"What to eat?"
"You decide."
Owen pushed the menu over and was pushed back by Beth. Owen was not polite. He drooled looking at the delicious dishes in the pictures. He quickly ordered the dishes, considering that Ed and Alyssa might not understand Chinese food.
, Owen even ordered some of theirs.
There were only two of us, and Owen didn't order more. He ordered three dishes in total, spicy pork knuckles, stir-fried sausages and dry-pot organic cauliflower.
"Boss, I want the authentic ones, don't fool me with those improved ones."
To be on the safe side, Owen specifically greeted the restaurant owner in authentic Chinese, which he learned in Chinatown. Unless otherwise specified, the boss would definitely make these three dishes sweet and sour.
The boss was very happy to hear the authentic local accent coming from a foreigner's mouth and repeatedly assured that it was absolutely authentic.
The food was served quickly, and Beth was very proficient in using chopsticks. Seeing Owen's surprised look, Beth proudly said: "I also love Chinese food. I learned how to use chopsticks from a real Chinese."
of."
As she said this, she also made a show-off gesture of picking up vegetables. Needless to say, she was really quite skillful and had definitely put in the effort.
Owen tasted the three dishes one by one. The taste was very authentic, similar to the authentic Chinese food he had eaten in Chinatown. It seemed that a special warning was necessary. At least the spicy pork knuckle was not made into a sour and sweet kind.
Beth was also very happy to eat. It seemed that the spicy food was to her liking.
She first took a bite of cauliflower, then gave a thumbs up, and then tasted the sausage and pork knuckles, with a look of enjoyment on her face.
After eating several mouthfuls, he remembered and asked, "What is this?"
Owen saw that she was referring to the dry-fried pork sausage, and he couldn't help but want to laugh. Foreigners generally don't eat offal, let alone the strong-flavored pork sausage.
"This...well, it's a vegetable..."
Owen cheated casually.
When Beth heard that it was a vegetable, she picked up another piece and smelled it in front of her nose, seeming a little confused.
"It smells a little weird, um..."
She seemed to be searching for which vegetable in her memory had this taste, and then ate it in one bite.
"Well, it tastes good, it looks like fried vegetables. Let's have another one..."
Watching her chewing and thinking at the same time, Owen wanted to laugh.
After eating another piece of fat intestine, Owen held back his anger and asked, "Does it taste good?"
"tasty."
"Do you like to eat?"
"I love eating."
"Okay, you eat it first, and I'll tell you what it is after you finish it..."
Owen smiled evilly, but his words frightened Beth to stop using her chopsticks.
"what exactly is it?"
"Uh...this Chinese name is pig intestines, and it grows on trees..."
Owen continued to talk nonsense.
"On the tree?"
Beth's expression was obviously unbelieving. Owen immediately changed the subject and pointed at the pig's knuckle next to him: "Have you ever eaten this? This also grows on trees..."
Beth showed an expression that said, "You are really lying to me. Don't lie to me. I have eaten this before. These are pig's paws."
Owen couldn't help laughing. Beth was still asking, but Owen would never tell her what pig intestines were. Who said foreigners didn't eat these things? Wouldn't their food be delicious? But if he told her
Truth be told, Owen expected Beth to immediately pull out her Glock 43 and shoot him twice.
Seeing Beth's questioning getting more and more intense, Owen was ready to call, but suddenly his eyes lit up and he greeted the three people who came in from the door: "Hi, Brian, I didn't expect to meet you here..."
Who would have thought that in Istanbul, which is far away in a foreign country, he would actually meet Brian's family of three.
"Brian, I didn't expect to see you here, Hi Lenore, Hi Ken..."
Owen Bryan hugged and then greeted his wife and daughter.
Brian was also surprised, with a hint of surprise on his face, but more of a joy at meeting old friends. Kenm was familiar with Owen's family, and he also came up to hug Owen.
"This is Beth, my friend, you should be on the phone."
"Of course, hello, ma'am."
Owen introduced Beth to everyone, and everyone exchanged pleasantries. Beth once invited Brian to be his security director, but was rejected.
Ed and Alyssa next to them were just about to make a move when Brian noticed them. Noticing Brian's gaze, Owen gestured to Ed and Alyssa, and then explained: "They are Bei."
Silk’s bodyguard.”
Brian looked away, nodded with a smile, put down his guard, and took his hand away from the belt buckle. He came to Istanbul for a vacation, and he did not carry a gun, only a small dagger hidden in the belt buckle for self-defense.
"How about we do it together?"
Beth suddenly extended an invitation. Brian looked at his family and then at Owen, "Is this appropriate? Will it disturb you?"
"We are very welcome. We are all friends. I am very happy to meet you."
A few people sat down, and then Beth ordered a few more dishes and a bottle of rice wine. Under the stimulation of alcohol, the conversation among the few became more and more intense, and they talked about everyone's recent experiences.
As early as when they came back from Mexico, Owen remembered that Brian said that Lenore was going through the divorce procedures with his current husband, and Brian might be able to rekindle their relationship.
Almost everyone knows that Brian has always had feelings for Lenore. Seeing the current state of their family, it seems that there may be something going on.
Owen was sincerely happy for Brian, and several people talked about the disbandment of Omega, and then talked about many other things.
"You're staying at the Palace Hotel? That's not far from us. We're at the Green Leaf Hotel. Is that okay? Since you still have business to be busy with, your negotiations should be almost complete in three days. I invite you to join us.
How about dinner, I wonder if it’s such an honor?”
Brian also extended an invitation to Owen and Beth, which was a gift in return for Beth's treat today, and Beth happily agreed.
The few people were chatting in full swing. When Owen saw that everyone was just chatting and not eating, he quickly invited everyone to eat and chat.
"Try this, it's called pig intestine, it grows on trees..."
Beth solemnly recommended the dish of Stir-fried Sausage to the Brian family. It seemed that she really liked this dish. However, it grew on the tree. Owen looked at the Brian family with a strange expression. Will they kill him if they know the truth?
Got me.
"Oh, it's a little spicy, but it tastes very good. The Chinese are always amazing. They can make all kinds of things into delicious food..."
Brian took a taste and kept praising her. At the same time, he motioned for Lenore and Kem to try it too. Owen saw Kem looking at her with a smile in his eyes, and then he remembered that Kem seemed to be a guest at their home.
She had eaten this when she was a kid, so she should know what pig intestines are.
"Well, it's indeed delicious..."
Kenm took a bite and pretended to praise it. Owen could only wink at her repeatedly, and there was a smile that couldn't be hidden in Kenm's eyes.
Brian had naturally noticed the little jiujiu between Owen and Ken. He just couldn't figure out what the two were doing, so he had to continue eating. Well, what is the name of this kind of food that grows on trees? Oh yes, pigs