C'mon

Can we please stop it with the couches in bars and restaurants? I mean c'mon!

Istanbul!, Not Constantinople

Went to Istanbul last weekend. Took a sleepless bus ride from Varna, Bulgaria to Istanbul. The road was barely a road. It was more of a perpetual wash-out. Imagine a beautiful, new charter bus wobbling from side to side on a dirt/gravel road that was just wide enough for the bus. There were 10-15 minute periods where we ranged between 5-15 mph. A lot of the terrain was forest and we occasionally had to confront a car coming from the opposite direction, which took some planning to get by. We, the passengers, were a collection of half-conscious bobbleheads dozing in and out. The trip there took 8.5 hrs and the way back was 10.5. Once we hit the Turkish border, and after showing passports 4 different times, to different people, the road got better.

For some reason (obvious that we had no idea where to begin) we were given special treatment in getting to our final destination, the Aziyade Hotel. Upon our arrival at the bus depot, we were taken to the middle of Istanbul and dropped off near a metro stop. The driver, who spoke no English, told me, who speaks no Turkish, something in Turkish and held up two fingers. So we took the tram two stops away and got off. An hour and a half later we found our hotel. However, it was 6 am and we couldn't check in until 1pm. Going more than 24 hours without sleep is uncomfortable. It's more uncomfortable when your on an unfamiliar continent in a country that practices a religion that might see a guy like me as "one of them".

Beyond the travel annoyances, it was a good trip. I would recommend it to anyone. I found the Turks to be very accommodating and friendly. The amount of commerce happening at all hours all over the city is truly impressive. From the Grand Bazaar to the fresh fish sandwich stands on the Bosphorus, there are sales being bargained continually.

The food was what one would expect; lot's of spices used with rice and meat. I kind of expected to have better street food experiences. The kebab I had was dry and wanting of flavor. The sights and sounds also turned out to be fairly well aligned with a foreigner's perceptions. The calls to prayer were a little eery at first but I got used to it. The mosques were grand but a little mosqie for my taste. We ate at a great cafe on the patio, and when I say patio I mean on the street with cars whizzing by. The cafe had over 4,000 lights. Thanks for reading, see pictures and video below.