Restaurants in the country

There are restaurants everywhere - and I mean everywhere. Basically it’s a big yard and there are all kinds of tables and chairs, each in their own little patio and roof. These are like dining room tables and chairs. Not outdoor furniture. There is always a table cloth on the table. Lunch or Dinner always starts with something like this: a first course of quartered tomatoes, quartered cucumbers, feta cheese, flat bread and maybe eggplant spread and some other spicy spread that i didn’t try. Then they bring meat - good meat and lots of it. The first night we had lamb and chicken. Today we had I don’t know what kind of meat but it was cooked in like a really thin pita and it was really, really good. Then they had another pita one that was filled with greens - you put some feta on it. Ayten thought it was better than the meat ones. I didn’t care for the veggie one. Now all of this always served on china with silverware. Glasses are used when they serve the drinks and it’s always water, sparkling water and then other kinds of stuff that I have no idea what it is but some of it is pretty good. Today they served this really sweet cherry juice so I added sparkling water to it and it was very good. Breakfast was the best feta cheese I have ever had, butter, honey and flat bread. Then they served eggs that were delish. Of course it goes without saying tea at every meal. Oh and there is always a play ground within the restaurant so the kids can eat and play at the same time  - genius! Too bad most of my restaurant pictures are on my camera and you'll have to wait because then you'll get to see some very interesting pictures. But here is what I had on my phone:

This was one of my favorite restaurants . One of the dining rooms almost looks like a tree house.

 This was the dining room we ate in. Really good food too!
 This time we had those those pita breads filled with meat and heated up -
and then the next course was Azberjain Raviloi!
And it would take some Italians I know back a few paces

This was some of the decorations at the restaurant. Notice the samovar in the center. They are pretty cool - there is some sort of heating element in there and you fill it with hot water. Then you have a tea pot with really strong tea in it. You fill your cup 3/4 full of hot water and top it off with the tea. The thing hanging from the tree is an old fashioned butter churn.

We wanted to have "A tea" and so they set up a table and chairs for us.

Farhod wanting to grab the biggest rock he can find to throw in the lake.

The houses in the background are for rent - notice the view of 

the mountains. Beautiful country!

No Javi is not going to the bathroom - he is holding a very heavy rock!

This is the last place we ate on our road trip. It reminded me of a state park. Ayten was

not happy about it - said it was too dirty. It was not my favorite place, but I have to 

say they had the best fresh tomatoes I have tasted all year.

Another view - I have to admit at this place I was a little concerned about food standards of which there are none out here in the countryside.

If you wanted to you could go for a horse back ride before or after lunch.

'Cause that's how they roll here.