FL049
"UNDERGROUND"

DATELINE: THE BASILICA CISTERN
(April 12, 2021)

Fellow passengers, it’s another beautiful day in the Limoverse. The best part of Bela Lugosi’s Airbnb last week was stumbling across the junk drawer: a forgotten pass to the Russian & Turkish Baths on 10th Street! On a Boris week no less! Valid for two people only, but who’s counting…

We punch in and descend the stairs, which seem longer than they used to be. Have they always been made of stone? Look at these new purple lights, so fun! They must have renovated for Covid! Medusa pedestals: no kidding! They’re really going for it!

A pair of carp swim underfoot. We take a seat at the cafe and pick up a menu:

Celery root skordalia
Baharat chicken chili with cranberry beans
Mint & anise hyssop tea

“Şu balıklara dikkat et, açlar,” deadpans a waiter as he weaves between two colossal pillars. (“Watch out for those fish, they’re hungry,” whisper the stone Medusas.)

Folks…are we in Istanbul?