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time for work

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Leaving Istanbul I was headed for London, narrowly missing another airport closure because of the crazy ash cloud. I had 5 days ahead to chill out before it was back for another season putting up tents.

I spent some time with family who live close to London and had a great weekend in London catching up with friends from all over the place and drinking a lot of cider (oh how I have missed you pear cider). Then it was off to work, which basically involves spending the next 4 months of so living in a tent and putting up very big tents at festivals all around Europe. So from here my life goes a bit crazy and I either working too much or having far too much fun to be writing anything.

Post the season, or maybe if I ever feel like it I will put up a few photos/words, but until the end of summer I will be slightly vacant.

ciao

east meets west in Istanbul

Monday, May 17th, 2010

I always like going back to a city for a second time, after you have ticked off all the big things you have plenty of time to chill out and enjoy the city.I had enjoyed the last time I was in Istanbul with mum in 2008, but was disappointed in its less than exotic feeling after 6 weeks in the middle east, at the time it just felt too western. Now however, this is exactly what I liked about it, and this visit has put Istanbul as one of my favourite cities. I think Iran would be a lot like Istanbul given the freedom. Istanbul really does have this great mix of western Europe and the middle east, which makes sense given its location spread out on both the Asian and the European side of the Bosphorous.

(get your shoes shined in style)

Me and Yochim had finally made it to our hostel, a really nice clean place in the main tourist district. Free wi-fi, free breakfast, a bar and super friendly staff. Sometimes tourism is great. I had 3 nights before my flight to London and very little plans. After finally updating my blog, checking facebook and looking at news- all things that were banned in Iran- me and Yochim headed out in the sun (wearing a t-shirt and no headscarf!). We wandered over the bridge, took the funicular up to the main shopping street. The definite western part of the city, a street heaving with people, shops, street sellers. An old tram trundles up and down and Christmas lights (?) hang above us. We stopped down a little side alleyway for tea, and had some lunch further up. We walked back down the hill and along the water where hundreds of fishermen fish day and night providing fresh fish for all the seafood restaurants behind them. It was a beautiful day, people were happy, the views are stunning down by the water of the mosques, the palace and suburbs on the otherside of the water. Back at the hostel bar, the late afternoon sun was just hitting the tables, we drunk beer and smoked shesha with William and Nad, a French Canadian couple I had meet in Yazd, in Iran a couple of weeks earlier. They had been travelling for 2 years and were in their last couple of weeks before home time.

Yochim had seen a free student theater show advertised so we all headed off, with another Canadian guy from our dorm, to try find it. We failed at actually making it their so had dinner instead, on a little side street off the main road, which even at 8.30pm was packed. Afterwards we went to a couple of bars, we found one little street which was packed with little tiny chairs and tables spilling out from the bars, a live band was playing some crazy Turkish music that everyone knew and were clapping and singing along to, occasionally getting up in groups and dancing. It was great! We stayed for a couple of drinks packed in tightly with everyone else. After the band finished we wandered back to the hotel, getting a bit lost and taxing the rest of the way.

I had one last full day before home, and wanted to do a bit of shopping for some things for work. Yochim headed off for the asian part of the city and I went over to the main bazaar, getting far too overwhelmed with what to buy and ended up not buying anything. I went down to the waters edge for lunch, a row of little boats float on the water cooking fish and you can buy a fresh fish sandwich for 4 lira (about 2 euros) and sit on the side on little tables (always these little tables and tiny stools) with salt and lemon juice and order tea. I grabbed my sandwich and looking around for a place to sit I saw a big group of Iranians from the train, I went and ate with them, they were drinking red wine which they pulled out fro their bag, all of them looking very much like they enjoyed the freedom of Turkey.

(fishermen off the bridge)

Back at the hostel Yochim was heading off to Bulgaria, so said goodbye to my travel buddy for the last week. William and Nad were still around and after explaining how good the fish I joined them for some more fish. We talked about how great asian is for street life, being able to sit around on the sides of streets, how its always busy and warm enough! I was not feeling super excited about heading to London the next day, I would have much preferred to stay in Istanbul, sitting around on street sides drinking tea. William went off to take photos, and me and Nad walked back towards the hostel stopping to buy a box of sweets, baklava and other sugary goodness. We went and sat outside the blue mosque, lit up beautifully in the evening. A guy sold us cups of apple tea, the call to prayer was playing, we ate our sweets. The last night of my trip, albeit a short one. Tomorrow would be back to London and almost time to start work.

The trans-asian express: a very long train ride

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

The 80 hour train ride from Tehran to Istanbul involved a lot more that just sitting on the train. We had heroin smugglers, drug dealers, long border crossings, 2am ferry rides, and of ... [Continue reading this entry]

Tehran- the politics come out

Sunday, May 9th, 2010
Before Tehran the politics of the country seemed more like a pain in the ass than actual reality, however in Tehran you are reminded that the government are in fact a little crazy. If you have read any ... [Continue reading this entry]

Tehran traffic rules

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

While in Tehran, visitors must take note of the unique traffic laws to avoid death/injury 
  1. Motorcyclists are exempt from any road rules
  2. Helmets are optional on motorcycles but not advised as they may affect carefully styled hair
  3. Always ... [Continue reading this entry]

ancient villages and nuclear power plants

Thursday, May 6th, 2010
I was sad to leave Esfahan, but my time in Iran was running short. I was off to Kashan, a smaller town on the way to Tehran. The buses are great in Iran, cheap and very good quality. Nice new, ... [Continue reading this entry]

Esfahan part 2

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

In the Islamic world you do see a lot of mosques. Like Wats in Thailand, Cathedrals in France, and religious paintings in Italy, after awhile you can get a bit sick of them. ... [Continue reading this entry]

Half the world

Monday, May 3rd, 2010
After the quiet streets and awesome hostel of Yazd, our dingy box like room in Esfahan on a busy street did not give me the best first impressions. However Esfahan turned out to be my favourite city so far and ... [Continue reading this entry]

Yazd- the oldest city in the world.

Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
*A quick side note. My blog site is actually banned in Iran, thanks to my lovely friend Kate who is updating it for me via email. So I will add photos and video's when I get out of ... [Continue reading this entry]