Istanbul

Our time in Istanbul has been so fun! Unfortunately I'm feeling sick, so I've been taking it easy (I took a 4 hour nap today). Tomorrow we're planning to go to the Grand Bazaar in the morning before catching a flight to Stockholm in the early afternoon. Hopefully I'll be able to hang.

I knew Turkey would be incredibly different from any other country I've been to, but seeing pictures is so much different from being here. The people we've met have been reserved at first, but once you get them talking they're so friendly and kind. We've had a lot of fun with cab drivers and experienced some excellent Turkish pop music.

On our first full day here, we strolled around and sampled some Turkish Delight.

Then we took a cruise around the river, where I sampled some Burger King flavored chips. They were.... well, they tasted like hamburgers.

After our cruise, Pam and Carol tried fish sandwiches. We have no idea what kind of fish they were or if they were full of mercury, but apparently they were delicious. They were made by a few guys on a boat who pulled up to the dock.

In the evening we went to Ortokoy, aka "Baked Potato Alley". [note: I have no idea if that's actually its alternate name or if Jenn just calls it that.] I had a GIANT baked potato - potatoes are my favorite food, so I was basically in heaven. They fill the potatoes with all kinds of stuff, like butter, cheese, corn, peas, cabbage, yogurt, hot chili sauce, ketchup, and pickles. I got a little bit of everything. I ate another one for dinner the next night, and it was even bigger!

We came to Istanbul at an interesting time, because Ramadan had just ended. A lot of stores were closed, and there were tons of Turkish flags everywhere. We're not sure if the flags were due to the holiday (Eid) or if Turkish people are just really nationalistic.

We followed our baked potatoes with waffles from a waffle stand. It was a pretty fat day. They slather your waffle with sauce (milk chocolate, caramel, nutella, strawberry, etc.) and then add toppings. Mine had caramel, nutella, strawberries, chocolate chips, and sprinkles. Then they roll the waffle into a cone and you go for it!

On our way home we met a very sassy cab driver. Jenn played the kazoo to Turkish music while Pam tried to ask him where we could find wet hamburgers (more on this later). He was sooo fun, and we all acquired a love for Turkish music. Definitely one of our best moments in Turkey.

The next day we found wet hamburgers in Taksim Square so that Joan's dreams could come true! The burgers are covered in some sort of red sauce, and kind of taste like ground taco meat. So good, and only 2 TL (about $1.25).

While wandering the streets of Istanbul, we ran into a butcher shop that specialized in offal. We noticed it because of the sheep heads in the front, and Jenn asked Pam whether she would eat it if Jenn bought it. Pam didn't even hesitate, so we sat down for a plate of sheep's head. I tried some cheek, but wouldn't eat the brain even though Pam told me it's nature's cream cheese.

Later that day we headed to Blue Mosque, which is spectacular. We accidentally showed up right before prayer time, so we waited for awhile until it was over. There were so many people! The inside of the mosque was gorgeous, and so intricate.

Today was a lazy day for me since I'm getting sick. Carol, Joan and I headed to get Turkish baths at 11. I went in not knowing what to expect, and there are no pictures because... well, we were naked the whole time. Bonding! You get scrubbed, covered in bubbled, and your hair gets washed. I followed it up with an oil massage, and the woman who did it was sweet and sang to me in French. The whole process kind of felt like being a little kid again because you don't have to do anything yourself. I really enjoyed it, and was so relaxed afterward that I took a 4 hour nap.

In the evening we headed to dinner at Pacazade, which is apparently one of the best restaurants in Istanbul. Everything was DELICIOUS and really cheap by American standards. Our bill came to 187 TL, which is about $130 for 5 people. I started with lentil soup, then had slow cooked lamb over pilaf. The view was spectacular, and we got to watch the sunset.

My overall impression of Turkey was really positive. It was really interesting being in a place so different from home. My friends and I got a lot of stares, especially from men. I think people probably aren't used to seeing women traveling alone (especially in shorts), and there weren't very many tourists here. We got asked where we're from a lot as well. At first I felt a little uncomfortable with all the looks, but as time went on I felt more and more safe here. People were curious about us, but I never felt like the stares were threatening or lascivious. Everyone that we talked to was so nice, and it was cool being able to bond with people whose culture is so different from mine.

Tomorrow we leave for Stockholm, and I'm excited about a few things. First of all, I'm hoping that we'll actually be able to flush toilet paper there (a complaint about Turkey AND Greece). Second of all, it won't be so hot! I'm enjoying my golden tan, but it will be nice to not be sweaty all the time. Third, it will be nice to be in a place where more people speak English. A lot of people speak basic English here, but the language barrier can still be frustrating - especially because my attempts at Turkish usually fail miserably. Fourth, I'm willing to bet Sweden has some great pharmacies. I need some Dayquil.

xo,
Randi