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Published: January 25th 2007
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Obelisk of Theodosius
with the blue mosque minaret in the background 26th April Today was a complete right off as I didn’t get up till 2:30 and I would have slept later if i didn't ask the people in the hostel what the time was. So all I did all day was some shopping, checked out the hippodrome, read a newspaper whilst drinking my hot chocolate and just chilled. On the way to meet the guys from the ANZAC tour, walking down the main street I politely smile at a man in one of the shops. Next thing he comes running behind me telling me I have a nice jumper! He walks with me down the street harmlessly chatting away until he puts his arm around me, so I move it and tell him “I don’t think so” and he explains that Turkish men are friendly!!! Then he asks me if I am going to the same place as last night! What! I don’t remember this guy! I tell him I am meeting friends and put on the bullshit story about leaving tomorrow but he doesn’t quit so I say I will have a drink with him if I am there (I figure I will be with the guys so it will
be fine), eventually he leaves me and I get to the meeting place, where last nights festivities occurred, but there was a blackout. It was kinda cool as they had a tiny radio playing and some candles burning, but I waited for 45 mins and still no one had shown up. Across the road one of the clubs had a generator going and were playing Aussie tracks (even good ol’ Johnny Farnham) so I headed over and went upstairs.
I sit with two other Aussies Jim and Steve (Brisy) and we chatted away watching some soccer until a belly dancer came along. She was pretty good but she made all the boys she grabbed take off their shirts and it got pretty gross. I ended up getting up (the owner pointed me out! And no I left my top on) but I didn’t stay up there for too long, but it was fun. The Brisy boys said I was surprisingly good, so we head downstairs to the nightclub with strobe lighting and a mixture of Turkish and Western music. It was awesome and I even got up on the podium when my Kylie request came on. Almost straight after
Steve went to bed the stalker from the street came over so I tell him I am hanging out with my friend. As soon as Jim goes to the toilet the stalker grabs me and starts dancing with me twirling me around. After a few twirls he asks me if Jim is my boyfriend and I say yes, then mid-twirl the stalker immediately lets go and walks away. Leaving me half in a twirl, shocked…what no goodbye!!! This place then closes so Jim and I go across the road and as the power is back on its pumping again like last night, and I see Ryan and Blake. They told me they got there at 9:15 (just a bit late) but they had both picked up so I didn’t see them much, and I had picked up too and before we knew it the place was closing. A very random night.
27th April After burning some photos onto CD and again changing rooms I go and sit in a small park at the hippodrome eating pistachio nuts, listening to my ipod and trying to avoid eye contact with the men in the park who are staring at me.
Yes please!!!
On my Bosphorus cruise I posted my Mum’s mother’s day present and Paul’s bday present which was a mammoth task as the post office didn’t even sell boxes or packaging. They found me a shoe box!!! Just did some reading and one of the girls in my new room had an absolute spastic at the other guy as he woke her up last night. She went completely feral and I almost went feral at her for snoring so bloody loud…
28th April I almost didn’t get up at all, having no window in the room. I caught the tram down to the ferries and paid 4L to go one way up the Bosphorus after they packed us in a waiting room for ½ hr. I walked around the boat and mainly observed the European side of the river as it was more interesting, and bought a Simit (bread ring with sesame seeds all over it - yummy). Once arrived at the end of the cruise on the Bosphorus in Anadolu Kavagi, I walked up the steep mountain, around a government military area (with men with big guns) to the medieval castle. The views were great and I even got to see the
The old meets the new
On my Bosphorus cruise Black Sea in the distance. Awesome! I chilled out up there for a while before heading down back into town for a huge lunch with an ice cream for dessert. Instead of catching the ferry back I took 2 buses, one of which the doors closed on me! The buses didn’t take money so a local let me use her card and I gave her some change, all without either of us understanding each other. I get off at Uskudar and just go for a nice walk and sat on the waters edge, drinking tea and watching the sun setting over the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia, with Kiz Kulesi in the foreground. I also get talking (in simplest terms) to a Turkish girl and she tells me about life in Turkey and about her boyfriend who is sitting next to us and cannot understand or speak any English. Afterwards I catch the ferry back and just chill out in the hostel. My roommate is very freaky and was sitting next to me talking while I was trying to diary write. I ended up having the worst dream ever about him and woke up freaked out big time.
Ortakoy Camii with its two minarets
and the Bosphorus Bridge (4th longest suspension bridge) connects Asia and Europe 29th April A very miserable day, rainy and cold. I decided even in the rain, that I would try and tackle all the things I wanted to do on my last day in Istanbul. I got a little lost, but found Kucuk Aya Sofia Camii, then walked in the rain to the Great Palace Mosaic’s Museum. The mosaics were all really long and of hunting and mythological scenes and emperors portraits, in their original condition. On the way then to the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum I see a picture of a whirling dervishes dancer at a restaurant and it’s supposed to be free so I go in and end up having tea with a guy that works there and he wants me to come back later! No dancing till higher tourist season, so I get out of there as quick as I can (after he gets a photo of us!!!) So I get to the museum and take my time, then stop off at a converted Turkish bath (now carpet shop) and then head to the Archaeology Museum that also got me into the Tiled Kiosk which was an absolutely beautiful building and the Museum of Ancient Orient. I
ended up running out of time so I rushed in Yeni Camii (looked very similar to the Blue Mosque) and Suleymaniye Camii. I didn’t get everything done on my list for my last day, but it was surprisingly nice walking in the rain. I wonder what adventures I will get up to when I leave Istanbul tomorrow, where will I go?
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