The first week (but not really).

That’s a little over how long has passed since I left ‘Murika. Again. I’ve been slacking on the personal journaling yet again because, well, let’s face it… I’ve been exploring this AWESOME city. I mean, really, I fell in love immediately but with time it’s just gotten better/worse.

I’ll skip ahead…

On Wednesday the 2^nd on the way from the airport to Taksim Square where I met fellow Sooner, Peter, the bus passed by mosques, shops, the Sea of Marmara filled with ships ready to enter or that had just exited the Bosporus, Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), the Blue Mosque, kids playing in public parks, and so many more beautiful indescribable things.

Peter met me in Taksim Square and we took a taxi to the Besiktas (pronounced BESH-eek-tosh) neighborhood of Istanbul where Peter lives to drop my bags off. After that we headed up to the Bogazici University campus (Bogazici is pronounced boh-AZ-ih-chee and means Bosporus in Turkish). Peter showed me campus as we headed for the university doctor. Turns out Peter had been bitten by one of the many stray dogs that Istanbul has and wanted to make sure he didn’t have rabies or anything. Good idea, right? Anyway, we walked around the beautiful campus, made it to the doctor, and the doctor referred him to a hospital in Sisli (SHISH-lee/li combo). We got lunch and I had my first Turkish meal – chicken curry. Peter took Intro to Turkish last semester soooo he kinda did all the talking for me. We headed for the bus stop and went to the Sisli hospital where Peter received a rabies vaccination. GOOD TIMES. I’m more than happy to report that he will live. Peter, Peter’s roommate, Julia, and I went for dinner and then waited for Courtney to get here. Which she did. We stayed in the rest of the night and talked.

Peter and Julia graciously left us their flat to stay in and left the night of the 3^rd for Lebanon and will be back the 9^th. In the meantime, Courtney and I, n00bs to the city, were left on our own to explore and get acquainted with Istanbul. Much like in Pretoria when Brooke and I decided on a whim to walk to the Union Buildings one of the first days we were there, Courtney and I decided to take the public transportation Istanbul has to offer to the historic “Old City” one of the first days we were here. On the 4^th, we took a bus to Taksim and the subway to the Old City, where we got off at Sultanahmet where the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are located.

Pictures don’t do these places justice. Istanbul itself has an atmosphere all its own. East meets West, old meets new. It’s the only city in the world to straddle two continents and appropriately the atmosphere is just as unique. The Muslim Call to Prayer, which is comparable to Christian church bells (but much more beautiful sounding than inanimate pieces of metal, if you ask me), started going off as soon as Courntey and I had entered the Hagia Sophia grounds. This only amplified the atmosphere that the area already had. If I’m lucky, I wake up to this five-times-daily hymn in the morning and hear it in the evening around dinnertime. Otherwise I hear it go off at some hour of the day just walking around the city. Minarets dot the landscape and there are so many mosques in Istanbul that you usually get to hear more than one Call to Prayer at once, which is more than fine with me. Have I mentioned I love the Call to Prayer? And Istanbul? Kgood. Anyway, Courtney and I enjoyed the atmosphere and looked around Hagia Sophia for awhile. (I’ll put some pictures here but more can be found on Facebook.)

After looking around the beautiful 1,500 year-old church, we headed across the way to the 400 year-old Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque. As we accidentally attempted to enter the Muslim entrance (and where Courtney attempted futilely to be culturally sensitive and obtain something to cover with her head with), we were directed to the tourist entrance where we took off our shoes and went in. It was so pretty inside and it became apparent why westerners call it the Blue Mosque. It was covered in blue tiling on the inside.

After snapping some pictures, we headed to the Bazaar that is Grand (Not to be confused with the Bazaar of Spice, or any local neighborhood bazaar. Mine is the Besiktas Bazaar.). It’s easy to get lose in this place. Lots of alleys with vendors to walk down. So we walked around for an hour, had some cay (chai), and played the “offer ‘impossibly’ low prices for knockoff everything” game. “I give you good deal. 40 lira.”

“Umm, 15 no higher.”

“You’re crazy. Go away.”

THROWBACK TO CHINA where we played the 20 kuai game and were told to go away or that it was impossible every time. May have pissed a few people off there in the Silk Market.

Anyway, Courtney scored some stuff and I acquired yet another scarf. Oooooops. #somanyscarves

NOW comes the time where I admit that I started typing this particular entry almost a week ago but I’m lazy and explorative and busy and am just now getting around to finishing it. A LOT more has happened since I started it though. More will come later. If I’m feeling ambitious.