We arrived in İstanbul two days ago, and after three wonderful days here I am sorry that I have to say goodbye. The city, both old and new, is absolutely beautiful. The people have been extremely helpful and friendly (but not too friendly). We spent the first day mellowing out, although we dıd manage to go to the Giant Bazaar, a huge market where the prices start out astronomically high but always find a way to drop within reason (mainly after you have already decided you do not want the item).
We stayed right in the heart of old Istanbul, which is called Sultanahmet. All around us were beautiful mosques and huge palaces. I had the chance to see two or three extremely large mosques as well as the Topkapi Palace (the home of the Sultans of Swing). Imagine buildings that take up numerous city blocks, and seem to rise up into the heavens (the nondenominational heavens) and you have yourselves the mosques. We also took a tram into the newer more westernized part of Istanbul. There were shops everywhere selling everything from Nike gear to traditional Turkish fezzes. Perhaps the whole highlight of this new Istanbul excursion was the catfight I witnessed right in the middle of the street. Of course tepeeman does not condone fighting nor does he wish to see it happen, but these two twenty somethings had each other by the scalps and were yelling what I only believe could be the worst Turkish expletives at each other. A huge crowd gathered and it was a lot like the street fight in Rocky VI when Tommy Gunn thinks he can beat Rocky in a street fight. Anywho, it was exciting.
Today I spent around an hour in a Turkısh bath. It was quite an experience. I was handed a towel and told to follow this man that was speaking his slowısh Turkish (I didn't have the heart to tell him that no matter how slowly he spoke, I was never going to be able to understand Turkish). He takes me into this large sauna, and right away my glasses fog up. So now I can't see what is going on and the only directions I am receiving are being given to me in Turkish. Anyway, the guy leaves and I am now left with a bar of soap and a plastic bucket. I am trying to look at what the other guys in the room are doing, but my glasses are so fogged that I really have to squint to see anything. I think this really freaked out a lot of the older Turkish men who might have begun questioning my intentions for coming into the bath. I tried my best to make use of the soap and water, but I am still a little skeptical of my bathing ability. Hopefully my trip to the bathhouse won't end up as a segment on Turkey's Funniest Home Videos.
Next stop Bulgaria. Really looking forward to pushing on through Eastern Europe. I hope to post soon. Much love.
1 comment:
At least you were clean if they show it on TV. Do they have TV's/
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