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Published: February 16th 2008
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1st attempt at packing. 2nd was much lighter. Hello all,
Since I am starting this blog so late, I feel like there is sooo much to say, but I'll try keep it somewhat concise. Somewhat.
London was a nice little trip, I don't think I could stay there for an extended period of time due to the high cost of EVERYTHING. But a beautiful, interesting city all the same. I really enjoyed just walking around and exploring, and the free museums, I definitely took advantage of that perk. I absolutely loved The National Gallery and the V&A, such beautiful art and exhibits..wow. I also saw Wicked the musical, which was incredible. I was so sucked into the performance that when intermission came I got up to leave before realizing it was only half over (I also think jet lag must have had something to do with it, it was my first day there).
However, the trip really began when I reached Istanbul, although that wasn't so simple! I was flying from London to Vienna, where I had a half hour layover, then on to Istanbul. Well, my flight leaving Heathrow was 40 minutes delayed, and although we had made up time during the flight, it still wasn't looking
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Mini!!!! My favorite!!! good. So I got to go sit in first class for the last 20 minutes of the flight, and as soon as we landed I got driven to my gate for my connecting flight. Well, I made it to Istanbul, but my other half, my backpack, most definitly did not. So I arrived sans luggage, but it was delivered to my hostel the next morning and I didn't have to carry the 30 pound bag! Lesson number one in Turkey: while there are a lot of rules, there are also a lot of ways around them. This became clear to me as I walked into the Istanbul terminal and everyone was smoking, right beside the no smoking signs. That was a first. Lesson number two: smoking is not just a habit, but a way of life in Turkey. Everyone, everywhere. I am sad to admit that I have almost gotten used to smelling like an ashtray 24/7. Luckily, it is prohibited (and actually enforced) in the dorms.
Finding my way to my hostel in Istanbul I soon realized that no matter how hard I try to fit in, I am always going to stand out here. I have never felt
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Random street in London. like such a rare specimen in my life. On the metro in rush hour it seemed every person was staring at the only blond head in the train. Lesson number three: avoiding eye contact is a good thing.
I ended up meeting a girl in my hostel who is doing an exchange at another university in Ankara (there are 12), but she wasn't so friendly and never gave me her email address. I still thought it was neat.
Istanbul is such a great city 5 days was not near enough time. I can't wait to go back in the spring. I advise you all to visit it once in your life if you possibly can. There is so much to see!! So much history, even the smallest, least known mosques and building are still fabulous! In a nutshell I visited/saw/did:
Aya Sofya - a church built in 537 and then converted to a mosque in 1453 when Islam entered the Empire. It was truly remarkable, I was so taken away by it's beauty.
The Blue Mosque - another breathtaking sight, it was built around 450 years ago by an emperor who wanted something built in his name more beautiful than
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Picadilly Circus. You can see Ben. Aya Sofya.
Topkapi Palace - built in the 1450s, it was the home for successive sultans. I know I keep saying how beautiful everything was, but it's true. I really liked the Palace because it overlooks the Bosphorus, and it's just so huge it could take at least 3 or 4 hours to walk around. Unfortunately, I don't have many pics for this sight, as I was changing my camera battery the new one fell into a sewer. I'll just have to go back again.
Istanbul Archaeological Museum - really composed of three different museums, I only had the time to visit one. Had so many artifacts from the region, some dating back 8000 years. And Alexander the Great's sarcophagus.
Basilica Cistern - underground cistern that was once used to store water for the whole city. Very eerie.
The Grand Bazaar - largest covered market in the world, composed of around 4000 shops. Insane! It's so big you get lost in it, which isn't a good idea unless you have a large wallet.
The Spice Bazaar - I really liked this, full of spices, herbs, Turkish delight (yumm, so much better here). And a lot smaller than the Grand Bazaar
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More Picadilly. Taksim Square - the 'heart' of modern Turkey, this is the place where people eat, shop, all that jazz. I had the great common sense to go on a Sunday, the day everyone has off and goes out. See pictures for further explanation.
My visit to a hamam, a Turkish bath is worthy of a little more explanation. I had to go to one. Well, the name is misleading because it is a lot more than a bath. You start off by washing yourself for a little while (I have to add that you're completely naked in a room full of other naked women), then your masseuse comes in, where you get a full body exfoliation (I mean exfoliation, my skin was pink for the whole day), soaped, massage, your hair washed, a scalp massage, and then you get to nap in a little private cabin afterwards. It was very relaxing, albeit the communal nudity took a little getting used to.
I also spent a lot of time just exploring and wandering around. That's pretty much Istanbul, although I could say a lot more....
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Amanda
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Hi Nicole! I am glad you appear to be having a fabulous time so far. Some of your pictures are just absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for the update and keep them coming! I can't wait to visit Istanbul someday!! How is Ankara? and have you been to the school at all yet? Take care chica! Amanda