During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset. As dusk starts to arrive, tables all over Trabzon fill up with soon-to-be patrons. The restaurants all serve either buffets or set menus. Sitting on the tables are bottles of water, a basket of bread, salad covered in plastic wrap and sometimes a soup. Everyone claims their spot and silently stares at the food waiting for the signal to eat. I saw one woman salt her soup and slowly stir it, just staring at it. Another man uncapped his water bottle and placed it right in front of him. Another man removed the plastic wrap and tore his bread into tiny pieces. No one talks.
Wardlaw broke all the rules and starting loudly slurping his soup while all the hungry Muslims tried not to look at him.
Then came the signal. A surprisingly loud blast like a canon shot rocked the quiet and dinner was on. Most people chugged their entire water bottle first but the man with the tiny bread pieces shoved them all in his mouth at once. All the waiters appeared carrying set dinners of beef stew with rice and potatoes.
The restaurant was quiet as everyone frantically ate while watching the top 10 music-video countdown on the wall television. Most of the videos involved a man in a tight t-shirt and sunglasses singing on a motorcycle. One sang while he aggressively adjusted his Ferrari engine with a wrench.
The whole thing was over in 15 minutes. Jamie and Wardlaw said it was just like the Hunger Games.