Ah, Turkey

This week has been an entirely new experience. If I haven't made you entirely aware of my movements, last Friday I hopped on a plane from Berlin to Istanbul where I was picked up on the Asian side by my loving girlfriend after 3 weeks separation. Of course, now that I've gotten around to writing this, I'm about to board the plane, which starts another 2 weeks of separation.


I won't bore with details, I respect you the reader too much for that. But I will outline a few highlights and try to give you some sort of picture of this rather insane city I'll be living in for the next two years.


First, thanks to Mel, I can say that I've experienced my first island getaway. We travelled by ferry to the largest island off the coast of Istanbul where we stayed the night in a beautiful hotel and enjoyed a refreshing bike ride around the island, swimming with jellyfish, and strawberry wine with various chocolate deserts on a third story balcony overlooking the length of Istanbul's Asian shore. I think this is the first time I've experienced the word "relaxation" perhaps ever.


The rest of the week was spent visiting the Grand Bazaar, including the spice and animal bazaars (we couldn't find a skunk). Somewhat unfortunately, this all occurred during the Ramadan Byzantium, meaning that the majority of all the shops were closed. Nonetheless, what I saw was truly staggering. It's like the deepest, widest flea market you've ever imagined, full of cheap merchandise that is meant to be haggled down to about 25 - 50% of initial asking price.


Istanbul itself is a pretty nuts city. I've never lived in a more dense or hilly area. The public buses strain under the weight of a full load as they trundle up a 30 degree incline at maximum allowed speed. The streets are narrow and the cabbies are fearless. The street signs and markings mean almost nothing, and even the rule "drive on the right side of the road" is regularly violated. Mel makes the observation that there are no rules, but it works because everyone is super alert. No texting and driving here. They can't. Head-on collisions are risked every minute down every stretch of road.


At 3 am the main walkway leading to Taksim Square is still so crowded with people walking in both directions that forward movement is often impeded. The street is easily five lanes wide. Bars, clubs, restaurants, hotels, and apartments run down every side street of this half-mile trek of businesses and lights, topped by four additional stories of people crazy enough to rent apartments above this all-night-every-night madness. This is just one area of the European side. We haven't even touched the high class clubs or the Asian side.


It's hard to think of getting to everything in the city in the next two years, but finances allowing, we'll give it our best shot. Wish us some luck.