Henna Night

So remember the roses the bride and her sister were wearing on their hands in the last post? Did you figure out why they wore it? Well it was a part of kina gecesi - henna night. The rose is applied on top of the henna in order to help it dry. Here are some pictures from the rest of the night -  hopefully it will give you a sense of this wonderful tradition that I was lucky enough to partake in. 

The Henna 

Traditional set up for Kina Gecesi

Roses (left) & Goody bags filled with nuts (right)

Applying the henna
(Nope, not the intricate, detailed patterns that you normally see, but they do do that sometimes)

The rose 

The stain left behind 

(took 3 weeks for it to completely come off) 

Bride to Be

Remember that bridal party that I crashed? Well this is a picture of the bride (left) and her sister (right) in traditional Turkish bridal gowns. I love the modesty and elegance of these dresses and the delicate embroidery adds to their beauty. The roses on their hands also add a special touch to the outfit. Can you guess the reason for wearing the roses? Well, I'll explain it in my next post :)

çay

In the 10 days I spent in Turkey, I think I drank at least 5 litres of tea (if not more). Tea (çay - pronounced "chai") is an important part of Turkish culture - it is considered a sign of hospitality and friendship. So everywhere we went -  homes, restaurants, and even shops - everyone would serve us tea. So you can imagine that my bladder was bursting every couple of minutes... but with the sweet aroma and the beautiful presentation, it was too hard to say no :)

Apple Tea 
(served the common way)

Apple Tea
(served the Turkish way) 

Mint Tea

Neat tidbit: When you're done with your tea and don't want a refill, remember to put your spoon on top of your glass or else they will continue to fill it!