İstanbul
We landed at 00.45. I had to stop at the window for a visa (€15, $20) and go through passport control. The passport guy did not look too happy… and looked from my passport picture to me several times. The photo is now 6 years old, and even though I haven’t changed dramatically, I have lost a bit of weight and wear my head and facial hair differently. And the picture looks a bit like a terrorist. He stamped me and let me through, and I got my luggage and Turkish lyra cash (YTL). I booked a room at the Sultan Hostel (€10 dm) upon some recommendations. Problem was, as it was now nearly two in the morning, taxi was probably the only way to get there. So, I found a couple that were carrying backpacks and asked if they wanted to share a cab. They needed to find where their hotel was, and in the midst, a shuttle service offered to take us. It was cheaper, so we took it.
Got to Sultan Hostel, checked in, dropped the bag in the room, and headed to the roof terrace for a view. The bar up there was soon to be closing, but I was able to get a beer first and talked with the bartender before going to bed. Turns out, I look like I could be Turkish. Who knew? Chalk up one more for nationalities I can blend in with…
In the morning I got my breakfast of tomato, cucumber, hard boiled egg, cheese, bread and spread and coffee, and hit the town. Walked by Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque and the surrounding area. Eventually I found myself along the coast of the Bosphorous and started following it. While there’s no beach and only jagged rocks, that doesn’t stop the Turks from using it as a base to sunbathe and swim. I also noticed… all men. Not a woman to be found. As I neared Topkapı Palace, there started to be the ancient remnants of a wall. There was a point suitable for climbing, so… I did. From there I was able to get an elevated view, and also found more various structural ruins. A reminder of how old this city is.
I found a guy selling some straight-off-the-grill fish sandwiches, topped with tomato, onion, pepper for 3YTL. Mmm… delicious. I needed to talk to one of the travel agents near the hostel, so I walked through the tea gardens of Topkapı on the way. I wasn’t sure whether pictures are allowed, so none were taken.
I wanted to take a nightbus to Göreme the next day, so I booked at the agent next to the hostel. Leaves from in front of their office at 19.00, and arrive in Göreme at about 8.00, for 45YTL. Not so bad, especially since that’s also my lodging for the evening.
As I headed there, a guy at a coffee shop asked if I’d like to try some. As I was approached, I was already thinking that I did, so I told him I’d be back after I took care of booking my ticket. Thought a bit pricey, my 6.5YTL vanilla çey frappe was damn good. I think he was glad I actually came back, and we talked for a while in the nice air-conditioned store. I left to wander and chill out some more, and Jihan said I could come back any time to talk, or if I wanted him to tell me more about the city. Maybe I will later…
I chilled for a while near the Blue Mosque and headed back towards the hostel. En route, a man asked if I’d seen Piyerloti, an area in the north on a hill with a great view over İstanbul. He offered to take me there and some other places for 50YTL in his car. He was a teacher on summer vacation, looking for some extra cash, and he’d drive me and be a guide. 50 was way more than I could afford so he offered 30. Still high, I accepted it for 20, which in reality was just about enough to pay for the gas plus a little. He was a friendly man and eager to share information about his country.
We talked on the way and he told me about himself, Turkey, life, history, and the things we were seeing. On the way, we passed some ceremony where people were dressed in traditional Ottoman clothes, and playing traditional music. We continued on the way, and when we got to the top of the hill, the view was amazing. İstanbul is huge! After, he offered some tea and we talked more, and then he got me a discount on dinner. Only 5YTL for a dinner that was normally 10, as long as I recommended the place to others. That’s just the was things work in Turkey. I don’t think I mind it…
After breakfast in the morning, I wanted to check out the Grand Bazaar, but found a nice Tea Garden/Nirgile on the way and stopped for some coffee and smoke and chatted with one of the kids working there. Everybody said so before, but I’m now experiencing, how friendly the Turks are. Everybody is always willing and wanting to talk.
I finally found myself wandering the Grand Bazaar. Lots of clothes, spices, random things… interesting, but I think the Moroccan souqs seemed more interesting and exotic.
The bus to Göreme was interesting. It was indeed quite comfortable, for a bus. Almost like an airplane, with drink service and seats that reclined quite a bit. Unfortunately, I had a larger woman with two 10ish boys behind me, the three of them crammed into only two seats, so I couldn’t recline fully, and was often kicked from behind. So the ride was less than comfortable, and I didn’t sleep as much as I wanted. It also stopped frequently… like every two hours. Good, if you need to stretch of get food and use the toilet, but interruptive if trying to sleep. One of the first stops we made was chaos. Not sure where it was, but buses everywhere, tons of people, loud, commotion, no sense of organization, not enough room for the buses… I watched a car back up and plow right into a kid. Crazy! It was quite an amazing sight, though.
Tags: Europe, Travel, Turkey
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