Lost on a Journey: Merhaba

Marhaba, is hello in Turkish. It's been a wild ride since I left Australia. I thought Australlia would be a nice transition before making my way into a country where they don't speak English. I was wrong. I think Australia is more American then America is. Anyway I landed in Istanbul and had plans on meeting a friend of a friend named Anil. I couldn't understand anyone or read any of the signs so I kinda just wandered till I got to the main city center. I found some wifi and met him.

I stayed the night at his the first night, he had a beautiful view and he took me around. We went to the Galata tower and walked down Istiklal street more then a million people walk down this street a day they say??? Sounds like a lot but it was very busy. I've been able to see the famous Sultanahmet (blue mosque), Hagia Sofia a Greek Christian Orthodox Church turned mosque with beautiful tile artwork Of Jesus from 534AD, also walked through the Grand Bazaar that is 66 streets, 3600 shops and employs more then 30000 people. Also went and saw Dolmabahce palace built in 1800 and was where Ataturk their liberator died. It had 285 rooms no big deal.

The second night Anil had to go to his parents so I moved in with one of his friends Hazar. She and her roommate have been so kind letting me stay for almost a week! We went and sang karokee a night, I sang Beat It by Michael Jackson of course.

Her cousin led me around a day to show me the city and so I could get to know the public transit system ( very easy) and I walked on Europe and Asia in one day booyah. I've taken tours of Topkapi palace and saw Moses staff (didn't look as big as I had imagined) and toured the Basilica cistern (underground water tank from 600AD, and have been to Taksim square multiple times. This is where they had the Gezi park protest and riot that happened in June last year. Still many riot police around to prevent another riot.

Yesterday I got to experience a Hamam (Turkish bath), the one I went to was the Cemberlitas hamam which was built in 1584 and I had an 70 year old man bathing me. It was very awkward but a great experience. The room is the temperature of a sauna and you have 120 degree water thrown at you from this old man. He rubs you to get all the old skin off then scrubs you down with soap and throws buckets of water at you. I was giggling the entire time because it was so funny and a completely different experience.

Besides that I have been eating many different Turkish foods all so good and and they serve mussels outside of all the bars at night so you can eat them between bar stops. They were so good.

The few things I've noticed since beig here is that there public transist is extremely good, the people try to sell you anything and everything in the street, how unprepared I was to come to another country that doesn't speak English but I'm figuring it out quick. But the biggest one is how conservative everyone dresses. Especially the girls they cover every piece of there body and they don't wear tight clothes.

It is joked that they have a mosque every 7 meters They have so many. They also play the praying music from every mosque everyday 5 times a day

I think next stop is Romania just cause I can. And I'm leaving here Monday! Hope all is well and Remember not everyone speaks English