Feels Good Man, Feels Good!

Life is so funny. It is so simple yet it comes off as so complex when you're entrenched in the mundane, everyday ritual. Sometimes you need to just step (WAY) outside of yourself to gain a clear perspective. So I went to Istanbul to do that. It's been an interesting beginning of the month compounded by another round of Blind Booking, which helped open my eyes to some of the things that had been swirling around in my mind.

In all honesty, German Wings and Blind Booking has figured out a way to transcend time and has figured out a way to turn 48 hours into 26. My roommate and I booked 2 days in Turkey and what we got was: a flight that left at on Sunday at 10pm from Stuttgart, arrived in Istanbul at 2am on Monday and then a return flight that left at 4am on Tuesday and returned to Stuttgart at 6am. (We then had to catch a connecting flight at 6:45 that same morning to Barcelona - but that is a different story.)

Flying into Istanbul at 2am was a little unnerving. I wasn't about to wander around the city in the early hours of the morning, so we slept on plastic chairs in the airport for 5 hours. Around 7ish we peeled our eyes open and grabbed a coffee and went about trying to get to the Western side of city, seeing as we flew into the Asian side. A fact we hadn't considered and hadn't factored an hour and half bus ride into our plans.

Of course, as it always does, everything worked out and we were dropped off in the middle of who-knows-what-busy-square and left to fend for ourselves. Since we only had 26 hours in the city, we didn't bother booking a hostel so we had to carry our luggage in 80 degree weather all day. (Between that and sleeping in an upright position for a grand total of 17 hours, I would gladly accept a massage without guilt.) This just confirms for me though that my mental capacity to handle discomfort is very high - something I am very proud to say!

After all of this, I would do it again and again. Istanbul was amazing. It was beautiful, a melange of culture, the food was delicious and I have never felt as though I really got a taste for the city in such a short amount of time anywhere else. I am making a list of all the places in my lifetime I have to visit after I get this trip out of my system and taking some extended time in Turkey is definitely on that list.

City square with the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

Courtyard of the Hagia Sophia. Women weren't allowed to enter without a long skirt and head scarf, which was too bad for me b/c the inside is amazing from pictures I have seen.

Istanbul is very hilly, which is awful if you're carrying luggage, but totally worth it once you find what you're looking for! We trekked all over trying to find the Grand Bazaar. Once we did, the amount of people, buyers and sellers flying around in your face was an experience all on its own.

Of course we took a boat tour. Best and most relaxing way to see the city.

As I was browsing in a shop the shopkeepers gave me this book as a present. How they can compact Islam into 200 pages is a mystery in itself, but I intend on reading it and finding out.

Turkey is the best place for food! (Except for Turkish Delight. I bought a huge bag of it and could only make it through 5 pieces before I gave it away to my waiter.) The figs, cheese, olives, spices...everything was amazing.

Of course we had to hookah while we were there. It was a classy affair, with the store owners freshening our coals every 15 minutes. We had 5 hours to spare before our bus left for the airport (and when I say bus, I mean some shuttle we paid for on the street and hoped that it would be there when we returned. Don't worry, we didn't pay in full until the very end!)

While we were sitting back and relaxing and discussing how good it felt to feel our feet again and let the smoke course through our veins and practically put us to sleep the call to prayer rang throughout the city. It was amazing to hear. I videotaped it here and I am so thankful to be able to be there for it.

It makes you think a lot about differences and how small or big they really are. Kind of like life and whether it's simple or complex. Sure the details can get in the way and maybe muddy things, but in the big picture we're all the same and shouldn't be delineated b/c of what we believe. It's just amazing that such a small detail can create such big hate sometimes.

I want light fixtures like that all over my house!

This is what 26 hours of no sleep, dirt, grime and a backpack on all day in 80 degree weather will do to me- and I'm proud of it;)