I love Istanbul !

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Hey hey

Istanbul is fantastic. Incredible, such a vibrance and energy about it. It has so much flavor.
So the 21 hour train ride from Bucharest to Istanbul was fantastic. Adam and I ended up getting our very own sleeper compartment. I love travelling by train, something about hte melodic noise of the wheels on the tracks. The only problem is that I had zero food because the supermarket in Romania did not take my card. So yesterday I overindulged a bit by having 4 donner kebabs and 10 pieces of Baklava. Good lord the baklava is to die for, they everything. The best was the chocolate pistachio.

Went for a shave yesterday, quite an experience. First off you sit down in one of those barber chairs, they drape you with towels. Then heat up some water, put the big soft brush in the water and get some lather going which they smear all over your face. He then massaged my face so as to raise the hair. He then took this long blade and started to shave me, pinching my skin to pull it tought. He then wiped my face off, and promptly brought out the lighter and burnt away all the soft hair on my ears and cheeks. And then, best of all he brings out the scissors and starts cutting my bloody nose hair, hilarious. He then washed my face off, and rubbed some after shave on. My face felt incredible afterwards, like a babies bottom.
Went to the Grand Bazaar in the evening which has over 4500 stalls. It's over 500 years old. Such an attack on the senses. The colors, smells, noise and people contiually offering you amazing turkish tea, apple tea is so nice. Needless to say i spent all my money there. Bought a really nice Bulgari watch which does not require batteries, a Diesel belt, t shirt, sweater, cologne and some turkish delights. I love turkish delight, always have always will.
Oh and the Turkish people are incredibly nice. So friendly and welcoming without being pushy.
Also went to this bar,cafe and club area last night called Taksim. Amazing. Never in all my life have i seen such a concentration of night clubs. People everywhere. I am telling you, no city has what this has. Not NYC, SF, Berlin, Milan, London well except for CT which takes the cake.
I am off to go look around. ciao

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Photos

Shınıng shoes
Outsıde of Istanbuls largest mosque, the great Sulıymanye

Fresh honey!
In the Spıce Market, honey straıght from the comb

Our dorm room
9 people ın a tıny room wıth lots of dırty laundry, oh how ı mıss my mom!

My weakness
Yes, that ıs all turkısh delıght! oh boy

Aya Sofya
Buılt ın 532 AD! Was once the greatest church ın all of Chıstıandom and then converted to a mosque. We lıve rıght by ıt.

Insıde the Blue mosque
yes ı know ı need a haırcut ma!