Well, what can I tell you about Istanbul.
It is a city of 15 million people. It is busy. The traffic is pretty crazy and comes from the wrong side of the road.
Definitely a change from Suratthani.
Food
The food is good. Not enough spice obviously but what I have lost in the pork, I have made up for in the lamb. Doners are everywhere - the old familiar meat on the stick, just like home, kebaps too.
I have been sucking up cheese like there is no tomorrow.
The bread and pastries are also delectable. Shimit seems to be popular. Like the breadzils that you get in Germany but circular and omnipotent. Men with charts are selling them every 500 m up Istaklal and pretty much everywhere. At fifty krush, they make for the perfect breakfast.
I am definitely having some chilli withdrawals however.
Caffeine
Turkish coffee is short, dark and nasty. The last centimetre or so is undrinkable due to the thick sediment at the bottom. The tea is great though, strong, cheap and everywhere. It comes in a glass and you drink it black with lots of sugar.
Nicotine
It seems that everyone smokes here. Everywhere. There does not seem to be any tobacco advertising but there is a huge range of tobacco products available. Many cafes also offer hookahs – the beautifully ornate water pipes through which you puff shish – flavoured molasses tobacco. I have been meaning to try it but would like to have a Turk on hand to show me how it is done.
Facial Hair
Although there are plenty of beards, of all shapes and sizes. However, I am most disappointed at the lack of giant moustaches that so many films about the First World War, had told me was the fashion. Not too many fez’s either – outside the tourist shops; lots of carpets though.
Istanbul is a modern cosmopolitan cultural capital and affected by all the world trends that has resulted in a number of Turkish homey g’s walking around as well as a disturbing trend towards extremely pointy shoes. Although a giant mo might be the traditional look, it is not in vogue this spring.
Attaturk
Thailand has the King – Turkey has Mustafa Kemal Attaturk. He can be found in every school room, hanging from public buildings, on all sorts of souvenirs and in many private homes. Everyone loves him.
There will be no negative comments about Attaturk!!.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Friday, March 17, 2006
From an email to my parents the day after I arrived:
All of a sudden there was a whirlwind and I dropped from the sky into Istanbul.
Departure
For my last night in BKK I had my first night in Khao San Road - Tourist Mecca. I see why I never went there.
Did manage to get some last minute goodies before I left though - some silk and fake ID cards.
Left at 4.30 am with my 24 kg backpack, my laptop bag and day pack. I should have eaten before I left.
With usual Thai efficiency there was a cue a mile long even though I had arrived two hours before my flight. There seemed to be
allot of older people on the flight who like Dad insist on getting to the check in desk at least three days before the scheduled departure.
The airline asked some hard questions about how I was going to support myself in Turkey, why I had no return ticket and what my net worth was.
They let me on the plane though. She had enough to deal with. The plane was half an hour late getting in.
Having got rid of my pack I was free to head over to the next cue - 500B to leave the country. The new aiport is due to open in June.
As they are builing it on a swamp they are going to need my money. Fair enough.
Passport control: Another cue. He looked at my passport. "Suratthani" he said and smiled. I know what he meant.
Then it was off into the bright lights of the duty free and overpriced coffee.
Finally, I got on the plane over half an hour late. Found myself in a bulk head seat - very pleased for the seven hour flight.
Qatar
We flew in over Qatar. It looks pretty much all desert. We arrived in Doha at the same time that my connecting flight was due to depart.
I asked the stewardess and she said that they would hold the flight. Not that many people were stopping in Doha so they would wait.
Seven hours on a plane however, there was no way I was leaving without having a fag. Doha airport is still being built, so it was a matter of
walking off the plane onto the tarmac and onto a bus that ships you over to the terminal.
Rushed through security and straight to the smoker’s room.
Managed to fit in one and half before a man came in calling "Istanbul". Ran over to the gate. Got through and onto another bus
that took us over to the plane.
I looked at the lettuce in my salad and then looked out at the desert beneath me and wondered where it had come from? Hydroponics?
When was it living? Months ago by the looks of it.
Arrival
Fours hours later and we were descending over my new home. This city is BIG. Huge square apartment blocks dominate the cityscape,
interspersed with the huge domes and towers of the mosques.
The last hour was murder but I got there. Went up to the box named "visa". Presented my Irish passport. 10 Euro. I did not have any Euro.
Offered him pounds, but he could not give me change. US dollars - yes yes he said. I only had three. Australian dollars - that will do.
I knew there was a reason I was carrying those around.
Walked over to passport control. He looked at the passport. The week before I had left it under my wardrobe to keep it safe
from thieves. It was not safe however, from the water that flooded my room and my passports. He had trouble reading it in the machine.
Eventually he got board and let me through.
Home
Straight on a bus to Taksim at the heart of the European side.
Weary I arrived at my new home. It is on the fifth floor of a guest house. There are two rooms on our floor. There is also a bathroom. Hardwood floors and stairs up to a roof top terrace. The room is small but well heated.
Impressions
It is cold here after Thailand. Looking forward to getting my woollen jacket. My Thai jacket does not really cut it.
Went out for dinner. Turkish Meatballs with rice and tea. Just what I needed after twelve hours of airline food. We went out for a drink
and met some of Robyn's friends in the expat community. They seem to be enjoying it.
The house is in the music district. every shop sells guitars, violins, PAs, drum kits, turntables and all varieties of music.
The buskers are really good.
People seem to be very trendy. I feel like a poor relation. They seem pretty friendly though.
It seems like a much easier language to learn. I will have to get cracking on that as I feel like a fool.
The place bristles with cafes selling thick bitter Turkish coffee.
Although the food appears to be bland here, they make up for with the sweets. They look divine.
There are allot of police in the area, which is reassuring but they wear flack jackets and carry machine guns which is disturbing.
Is that necessary? If so, why? I will leave them alone and they can leave me alone.
All of a sudden there was a whirlwind and I dropped from the sky into Istanbul.
Departure
For my last night in BKK I had my first night in Khao San Road - Tourist Mecca. I see why I never went there.
Did manage to get some last minute goodies before I left though - some silk and fake ID cards.
Left at 4.30 am with my 24 kg backpack, my laptop bag and day pack. I should have eaten before I left.
With usual Thai efficiency there was a cue a mile long even though I had arrived two hours before my flight. There seemed to be
allot of older people on the flight who like Dad insist on getting to the check in desk at least three days before the scheduled departure.
The airline asked some hard questions about how I was going to support myself in Turkey, why I had no return ticket and what my net worth was.
They let me on the plane though. She had enough to deal with. The plane was half an hour late getting in.
Having got rid of my pack I was free to head over to the next cue - 500B to leave the country. The new aiport is due to open in June.
As they are builing it on a swamp they are going to need my money. Fair enough.
Passport control: Another cue. He looked at my passport. "Suratthani" he said and smiled. I know what he meant.
Then it was off into the bright lights of the duty free and overpriced coffee.
Finally, I got on the plane over half an hour late. Found myself in a bulk head seat - very pleased for the seven hour flight.
Qatar
We flew in over Qatar. It looks pretty much all desert. We arrived in Doha at the same time that my connecting flight was due to depart.
I asked the stewardess and she said that they would hold the flight. Not that many people were stopping in Doha so they would wait.
Seven hours on a plane however, there was no way I was leaving without having a fag. Doha airport is still being built, so it was a matter of
walking off the plane onto the tarmac and onto a bus that ships you over to the terminal.
Rushed through security and straight to the smoker’s room.
Managed to fit in one and half before a man came in calling "Istanbul". Ran over to the gate. Got through and onto another bus
that took us over to the plane.
I looked at the lettuce in my salad and then looked out at the desert beneath me and wondered where it had come from? Hydroponics?
When was it living? Months ago by the looks of it.
Arrival
Fours hours later and we were descending over my new home. This city is BIG. Huge square apartment blocks dominate the cityscape,
interspersed with the huge domes and towers of the mosques.
The last hour was murder but I got there. Went up to the box named "visa". Presented my Irish passport. 10 Euro. I did not have any Euro.
Offered him pounds, but he could not give me change. US dollars - yes yes he said. I only had three. Australian dollars - that will do.
I knew there was a reason I was carrying those around.
Walked over to passport control. He looked at the passport. The week before I had left it under my wardrobe to keep it safe
from thieves. It was not safe however, from the water that flooded my room and my passports. He had trouble reading it in the machine.
Eventually he got board and let me through.
Home
Straight on a bus to Taksim at the heart of the European side.
Weary I arrived at my new home. It is on the fifth floor of a guest house. There are two rooms on our floor. There is also a bathroom. Hardwood floors and stairs up to a roof top terrace. The room is small but well heated.
Impressions
It is cold here after Thailand. Looking forward to getting my woollen jacket. My Thai jacket does not really cut it.
Went out for dinner. Turkish Meatballs with rice and tea. Just what I needed after twelve hours of airline food. We went out for a drink
and met some of Robyn's friends in the expat community. They seem to be enjoying it.
The house is in the music district. every shop sells guitars, violins, PAs, drum kits, turntables and all varieties of music.
The buskers are really good.
People seem to be very trendy. I feel like a poor relation. They seem pretty friendly though.
It seems like a much easier language to learn. I will have to get cracking on that as I feel like a fool.
The place bristles with cafes selling thick bitter Turkish coffee.
Although the food appears to be bland here, they make up for with the sweets. They look divine.
There are allot of police in the area, which is reassuring but they wear flack jackets and carry machine guns which is disturbing.
Is that necessary? If so, why? I will leave them alone and they can leave me alone.
Greetings from Istanbul (not Constantinople), and welcome to a new blog provider. New country, new site. Hopefully, I will be better than I was in Thailand. We will see.
Why Istanbul... mmm I can think of a few reasons, but why not? Life in Thailand was so lush, so beautiful, that if I stayed for any longer I may never have left. And there is plenty more of the world to see.
Have only been here for a couple of weeks and there is so much to tell you already. I will try and keep it breif and to the point.
Maybe I will make that the next entry...
Till then.
Take it easy
Al
Why Istanbul... mmm I can think of a few reasons, but why not? Life in Thailand was so lush, so beautiful, that if I stayed for any longer I may never have left. And there is plenty more of the world to see.
Have only been here for a couple of weeks and there is so much to tell you already. I will try and keep it breif and to the point.
Maybe I will make that the next entry...
Till then.
Take it easy
Al
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