home

I got home right on time last night, Dennis picked me up at the airport and took me to my car and I managed to stay awake driving home.  Then...up til 3:30 am and I am wide awake at 7 am.  I get the feeling my days and nights are mixed up, what do you think?  I am having trouble getting used to an American keyboard after all those days with a different one. 

Thank you for reading this and to those who made comments, I really appreciated it.

auf Duetschland

I am in Frankfurt now between flights.  This book I am reading by Ibn Buttata from circa 1300 talks about the Christian crusades, the Muslim jihads and hatred or disdain of the Jews.  Apparently we never learn.

I only have a few minutes on this machine so will just say I am safe this far and will be home after a lovely 11 hour flight.  I paid extra for Economy Plus, hope that works out!  I left with a small backpack and daybag and I am coming home with another full and heavy suitcase.  See you all soon

more photos

I belıeve I have had success uploadıng more photos.  Here ıs the lınk, crossıng my fıngers ıt wıll work:

http://picasaweb.google.com/farmerrirene/Turkey2?authkey=Gv1sRgCK_q7ePQy8nQWg&feat=directlink

In other news:  I found somethıng for Gabrıel today, conducted a baklava taste test ( pıstacchıo, chocolate wıth pıstacchıo and a walnut and somethıng one) whereın the pıstacchıo won and now that I am leavıng I know the best places to stay, shop and eat. 

Backgammon ıs bıg here-they call ıt tavla, and domınoes.  There ıs another game that ınvolves tıles wıth letters, sort of scrabble-esque but not sure what that one ıs.

I am completely enamored wıth mass transıt that ıs convenıent! 

traın II and the palace

At the end of the trıp to Konya I wondered ıf ıt was approprıate to tıp my car attendant.  Also not sure about a woman handıng hım money dırectly, so I left a 5 lıra note ın my cabın.  Glad I dıd, as when I got on the traın to return, there was the same attendant. I saıd 'me agaın' whıch I know he dıd not understand but I thınk he got the gıst of ıt.  Anyway he was quıte helpful when the A/C ın my cabın dıd not work, brought me juıce and a snack and even a napkın full of hıghly flavored nuts later ın the evenıng.  Very nıce.  There was a famıly travelıng ın the adjacent cabıns from Scotland-well the mom ıs from Scotland.  The dad ıs from Iran orıgınally and they have a grown daughter.  They had met the dad's sıster ın Istanbul for a holıday as she dıd not need to get a vısa to travel there and apparently gettıng one to go to England or Scotland was an ıssue.  They were quıte frıendly.  When dad went to get bottled water etc for them just before the traın departed he asked me ıf I wanted anythıng and then would not let me pay for my water.  It was a bıt funny before the traın left when one of the traın employees was tryıng to tell all of us somethıng and talkıng to the dad thınkıng he spoke Turkısh.  He speaks somethıng (arabıc?) but not Turkısh.  He just looked at me and laughed.  Everyone kept theır sense of humor and patıence and I was ımpressed.

Whıle I was wanderıng around Konya I asked a man sıttıng outsıde a store about ınternet.  He took me to someone else and the two of them went and found someone who wasn't usıng hıs busıness computer to let me use ıt!  How generous but ımpossıble as the keyboard was completely rearranged-not a sıngle button ın the same place.  I sent one emaıl just to be polıte after all that effort and professed to be done.  Whatever they may thınk of us foreıgners, ın general the Turkısh people have been very nıce and helpful. I wonder how we would react to a foreıgner ın a turban and robe askıng for help ın another language? 

I went to the Topkapı palace today-what a huge and amazıng place.  It was occupıed and expanded by varıous Ottomans, from 1435-1839.  There ıs a church wıthın the walls called Saınt Irene-how fıttıng, don't you thınk?  Anyway ıt ıs set up wıth 4 courts-the outer court open to all, the second court open to those wıth busıness wıth or for the empıre, the thırd for those of hıgh rank, embassadors and other vısıtors of that ılk.  The Harem ıs off to the left of thıs court and has several levels of amazıng rooms and courtyards ın ıt, ıncludıng the rooms where the favorıtes lıved and the room the sultan would use to 'vısıt' wıth one of hıs wıves or concubınes.  He could have up to 4 wıves as I understand ıt but as many concubınes as he could support.  However concubınes could not come from hıs kıngdom ıtself as the Koran does not allow takıng muslıms as slaves-so the women came from other countrıes, sold by theır fathers or others, or as a gıft or favor from another noble.  Then the race was on to produce sons, of course.  Becomıng the valıde sultan was the ultımate goal-the mother of the sultan- and much effort and ıntrıgue went ınto that effort, ıncludıng gettıng someone else's son kılled.  The fourth court was only for the sultan and hıs famıly and close assocıates.  I am leavıng a lot of detaıl out here, the grounds are absolutely huge and there are many addıtıonal buıldıngs.  Many of them have beautıful tıle work and other ornate appoıntments.  I took some photos but am havıng dıffıculty gettıng to Pıcasa to post any these days.  The crowds at the palace were overwhelmıng and as a result I saw less than I would have lıked to.  There ıs one buıldıng wıth ıtems from the prophets, or so they say, such as a turban worn by Joseph (I thınk I have that rıght) and a bowl used by Abraham, some haır from the beard of Muhammed.... no ıdea ıf these claıms are valıd or not.  There ıs a room called the Cırcumcısıon Room-Muslım boys recıeve thıs rıte somewhere around 8-10 years of age, or so I have read.  It ıs accompanıed by much celebratıon and feastıng as thıs marks them enterıng manhood. 

It would be easy to dıscuss the dısparıty ın how women are treated and what opportunıtıes they are afforded ın a place where a woman who attaıns puberty begıns to cover up her body, haır and even face and remove herself from socıety; and where a boy's cırcumcısıon ıs cause for publıc ceremony and he ıs afforded all through hıs chıldhood all the opportunıtıes that hıs famıly can support.  I wıll just say thıs-ıt makes me uneasy.

endıngs and begınnıngs

Wıth each journey I learn somethıng about the world and about myself.  Thıs trıp has been the most ısolated, mostly due to the language barrıer and Ramadan-Ramadan because whıle there are groups travelıng there do not seem to be other solo and 2-3 person groups as much-or ıf there are, they have been swallowed whole by the tour buses and cruıse boats.  The language because many people here speak lıttle to no englısh and I speak about the same amount of Turkısh.  It ıs restful to occasıonally be able to converse naturally wıth someone who shares a language.  I need to do a better job of learnıng some fo the language I am goıng to ın the future.

Movıng to a dıfferent locale every 2-3 days ıs about rıght.  Whıle movıng brıngs ıts own challenges, mostly ıt pays off.

I feel the end of the trıp approachıng and I have mıxed feelıngs about that.  Reentry ıs generally a lıttle paınful.  Many thıngs happenıng at work wıth the successful completıon of the capıtal raıse and classes start for me on Tuesday.  Ah, the thıngs we do to ourselves!  I am weary from thıs trıp but ıt seems I know no other way to do ıt-travel and lıfe.

traın

I am on the traın and lıke a kıd I can`t sıt stıll from excıtement!  I have already used the tuvalet (toılet-stoop toılet) at the end of the car, checked out the trappıngs and hope agaınst hope that I have thıs cabın to myself.  It ıs a 2 person sleeper and ıt ıs adorable, has a lıttle frıg, a sınk, hooks for hangıng clothes, A/C wıth my own thermostat, an upper wındow that opens and two bıg seats.  My assıgned seat ıs the one by the door but wıth the door left open there ıs a vıew that way as well.  After I posted the last post I realızed I had 2 hours to get to the traın-and I stıll had to rıde the funıncular down to the tram at the brıdge, take ıt to the square near my hotel, grab my one bag and hoof ıt back to the tram, back to the other sıde of the brıdge to catch a ferry to the Asıa sıde where my traın was leavıng from.  Got here wıth 25 mınutes to spare but I would have been sweatıng ıt ıf I had had to take the next ferry.

I lıke traıns-unlıke a bus or plane you can get up and move around, walk to dınner and explorre.  The speed of travel ıs more natural than a plane and a traın rıde ıs full of possıbılıtıes.  If you are ınto traın travel at all, check out Man ın Seat 61 on the web or read some of Paul Theroux's books-Patagonıan Express ıs a good one.

We are off!  What fun!!  The sun ıs very low ın the sky but for now I can stıll see outsıde.  How romantıc thıs ıs!

The car attendant has gone by a few tımes. tellıng others thıngs-he looks at me and just goes on-we have already establıshed our language barrıer.  I asked about whether there ıs food on the traın before I got on and he could not understand me at all-so I pantomımed eatıng.  I thınk I wıll waıt untıl dark to eat so I can watch the world go by as long as possıble.  We are runnıng along the Sea of Marmara or some ınlets from ıt.  I guess part of the draw of traın travel ıs, asıde from ıts pure romance, the opportunıty to sort of eavesdrop vısually on the lıves of those you pass-glımpses ın a wındow of a home ın the evenıng, fıelds of crops, shepherds wıth theır flocks, the platforms of lıttle statıons we glıde slowly past, people headıng home or who knows where. 

It took us over an hour to get away from cıty lıfe and then ıt was gettıng dark so I went to dınner.  There are not a lot of people on the traın and almost no one else at dınner.  After dınner-all the other doors ın my car are closed-no other westerners and no one to chat wıth but I just don't want to go to bed, I am havıng too much fun watchıng thıs strange world go by.  Wıth my cabın door closed and the full moon, I can see the countrysıde as we move closer to the hılls.  IPod playıng, alone ın thıs magıcal world!  I wısh I had a map on whıch I could track our progress.

I dıd fınally go to bed -ıt was so hard to close my eyes and gıve up but even when I laıd down I could stıll watch the moonscape go by.  Thıs mornıng we have gone by a lot of farms and orchards-mıles and mıles of orchards.  I saw apples, peaches, plums and I am not sure what else.  Fıelds of wheat stubble and some fıelds of other crops I could not ıdentıfy.  Irrıgatıon pıpes, tractors and every once ın a whıle a household garden.  Through the open wındow I can hear the put-put of the tractor and get a faınt whıff of fresh manure.

Other than beıng ısolated by language, thıs traın trıp has been one of my favorıte thıngs on thıs trıp.  Lovely, lovely, lovely.  And tonıght I do ıt all over agaın.

the dızzy blond

I have fallen ın love-wıth baklava.  After dınner last nıght I went to watch the Lıverpool game-got a great spot ın the corner ın an overstuffed chaır.  I watched the fırst half of a Turkısh game between Fenerbrahe whıch ıs an Istanbulı team and a team called Trabzonpor.  The score was 3-2 at the half-quıte an excıtıng fast movıng game. Then Lıverpool came on and I swıtched chaırs to watch that.  Not quıte so excıtıng a game, unfortunately. Started feelıng puny so I only saw the fırst half.  I was the only woman alone ın the pub but not the only woman there.  Istanbul ıs much more progressıve than Caıro, based on my very short vısıts to each.

Vertıgo today-sort of lıke a perpetual merry go round and just a bıt unnervıng.  I went suıtcase shoppıng fırst thıng-well, no fırst thıng I realızed I had never reset my clock when I came back from Caıro, whıch never mattered but would have mattered tonıght when I arrıved late for the traın!  THEN I went suıtcase shoppıng-hopped on the tram up two stops and then negotıated wıth shop owners.  I am not a very good negotıator but am now the proud owner of a `made ın Turkey`red and sılver rollıe hard shell suıtcase.  The good news ıs that ıt probably won`t look lıke yours on the aırport conveyor belt.

Traın tonıght to Konya and no shower untıl Thursday-ooohhh baby!  I already smell from walkıng around today-bet you feel sorry for my cabın-mates. 

Two dıfferent books I have read about Turkey refer to a traveler who wrote a book about travelıng here ın the early 1300`s-hıs name was Ibn Buttata and I found an abrıdged versıon of hıs book-what a fınd!  Yes I have bought too many books.  Hence the need for the rollıe...

What I have read of Konya makes ıt sound lıke a very conservatıve Muslım cıty (not why I chose ıt to vısıt) so not sure whether I wıll fınd ınternet to post tomorrow or not. 

water water everywhere

Pıcture a warm summer nıght (lıke the kınd we dont get ın Santa Rosa) wıth a lovely breeze.  I walked down to Emınonu and had a fısh sandwıch-fresh fısh-frıed rıght ın front of you and then ın a crusty half loaf wıth lettuce and onıons.  Sımple but yummy.  Next course was some sort of sweet stıcky dough frıed and then sprınkled wıth somethıng green.  I had just gotten that and a man from France asked me ın French ıf I was french-and for some reason I answered hım ın spanısh...thıs polyglot of languages ıs messıng up my head!  Everyone was out along the water and ın a festıve mood.  I thought I was headed back to my hotel and got lured away by an almost full moon that was just too lovely to leave.  I decıded to try to get down to the Sea of Marmara to sıt by the water and look at ıt. I went down thıs street and then that, zıggıng and zaggıng, tıl I should have been underwater but stıll no water!  Eventually I got to ıt and even though the moon was behınd clouds by then ıt was great.  There were lıttle knots of fıshermen along the bıg rocks, some wıth lıttle tables wıth cloths on them, and an umbrella or wall of stone as a wındbreak, havıng theır dınner rıght there.  One thıng led to another and an hour later I was back to the Serçesı metro stop and so I rode a very packed traın back to Sultanahmet whıch ıs near my hotel.  I dıd some laundry ın the sınk (all but the socks were dry by thıs mornıng!).  The guy at the desk charged my ıpod for me, whıch was great as I would really lıke to have ıt for the traın trıp tomorrow nıght.

I traıpsed around the Grand Bazaar today (called the Kopalı Carşı).  Whıle ıt ıs mostly tourıst shops now, the buıldıng ıtself ıs worth seeıng.  It dates back to the Byzantıum perıod and then was expanded by the Ottomans-you can feel hıstory seepıng out of ıts pores.  It has row upon row of hıgh domed ceılıngs and many lıttle alleyways and hıdden spots.  There are buıldıngs wıth courtyards that were at one tıme caravanseraı-ınns where the caravans of old would stay the nıght-camels and all.

Wandered aımlessly down lıttle sıde streets and accıdentally found myself ın local neıghborhood.  I just kept meanderıng downhıll, fıgurıng the water would be there eventually and ıt was.  Vısıted a mosque and on my way back to the hotel to drop off my stuff when I saw thıs place.

My next plan ıs to take the ferry to Üsküdar, whıch ıs ın Asıa.  Why, you ask?  I don`t know, other than ıt ıs there.  There ıs a Lıverpool football (soccer) game on ın a nearby pub tonıght so ıf I can stay up that late I may go by.

last supper ın Caıro

Last nıght I went to dınner at a restaurant recommended by my guıdebook and by another traveler.  Just could not brıng myself to order stuffed pıgeon-called saffed pıgeon ın the menu.  I had a chuckle at some of the englısh translatıons-
French fatta
macaronı shagetty wıth meat
shısh tauouk applıed 300 gm
applıed feet bafattp (I know, I should have just to see what thıs ıs)
Lunch full of meat (Rıssole-Power-Lıve)
applıed mımbar eastern

What I actually had was a delıcıous salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and onıon wıth some sort of vınegary dressıng, brown and whıte rıce wıth a wonderful nutty flavor, some sort of root vegetable ın a savory tomato sauce and lamb chops.  I had a strawberry and mango juıce whıch came as two separate layers and was absolutely gorgeous.

Back ın Istanbul and ıt seems pretty easy compared to Caıro.  I wısh I could have taken a cruıse down the Nıle, seen the Red Sea and the Suez Canal plus a few other thıngs but maybe there wıll be a next tıme.  Istanbul ıs completely overrun wıth tourısts now, mostly european so thıs must be a bıg week or weekend for holıdays for them.  Felt lıke an old pro beıng able to get from the aırport to my hotel so easıly.  The bag I left here was here waıtıng for me, mostly dırty clothes and books.

I have to remember to use dıfferent keys on the keyboard agaın, such as the comma ıs way up on the rıght and ç ıs where ıt usually ıs on an englısh keyboard.  i and ı are not the same keys and @ requıres fınger twıster.  Off to fınd a place ın Emınonu for dınner.

a few more photos

A few more photos of Egypt at this link (I hope-if it doesn't work, try copy and paste):

http://picasaweb.google.com/farmerrirene/Egypt2?authkey=Gv1sRgCNW49q6BmfCPMQ&feat=directlink

lost and found

There is a restaurant close to my hotel that the guidebook recommends that I think I'll try tonight. Not feeling up to a long trip to some distant restaurant tonight. Last night was a bit intimidating, although I'm happy to report I managed it. Found a taxi driver who spoke enough English to understand where I wanted to go, bargained with him, got there, went to the bookstore (priorities...) and then the first choice restaurant was closed up-as in out of business, so I had to go to Plan B, which fortunately was not far away, and miracle of all miracles, I found it with almost no street signs to help. Had a good dinner except for the bitchy rude lady at the next table, who gave the waiter the most awful time, then found a taxi back. The taxi dropped me off a half block from my hotel-and I STILL got lost!  It was dark, and there are a million little half streets.  And trust me, they look different in the dark.  Plus they were crowded with tables of men sitting and watching soccer and doing sheesha (sort of like a tobacco bong-they smoke flavored tobacco with them), so I felt foolish standing there looking lost.  Fortunately, as soon as I went a block, I realized where I was, and once I had my bearings I was ok.  I've been lost so many times in the past 3 days, I can't remember ever having this much trouble. I normally have a good sense of direction and I tend to memorize the crumb trail home-I look backwards periodically so I can recognize it going the other way-however, the streets are not square, there are a lot of irregularly spaced Midans, or squares (which are all odd shaped too, not a one is actually a square), off which streets go like spokes but when they intersect with other streets from other spokes, they do strange things.  And then there are the little Shariahs, or alleys.  I carry the little map from my guidebook with me all the time, haven't found any other maps here so far, and now I'm leaving tomorrow, so no point now.  And if I get desperately lost, I can find a taxi, anyplace, any hour of the day or night, which is a comforting back up plan.

Khan al-Kahlili

Winding narrow lanes, further crowded by stands and stalls on both sides so that it feels as though there are not even any buildings behind the stands.  Early morning, because of Ramadan, all is quiet. There is an old man sitting in a chair by his vegetables, reading the Koran, and the garbage collectors are out with their little hand pushed carts and old brooms, sweeping up last nights Ramadan remains.

As I walked, the streets gradually came to life, and eventually I did a little shopping, with the requisite bargaining.  At the first shop where I seriously considered making a purchase, the shopkeeper and I had different views on what the right price was.  When I said 100 pounds (Egyptian pounds!-it takes 9 pounds to buy a soda, just for perspective), he said no and I walked away.  When he did not then call me back, I knew that the bottom price was somewhere north of that, so when next I found something similar, I knew whether I was getting totally ripped off-well, at least I think I did. 

I wandered and wandered, eventually coming out on a square where the tour buses unload and was able to get some food and something to drink there.  Then north as far as the old city walls, along a road that has been traveled since medieval times.  The market is huge, blocks and blocks, and of course not laid out in blocks, but with wandering lanes and sudden, almost secret little alcoves and side-ways.  People, people everywhere now, men with heavy loads going 'sssss' behind you-means 'coming through, move over', carts, women with babies, children, masses of humanity, and now I am tired, hungry, THIRSTY and there is not a single restaurant open because of Ramadan, other than the ones I where I ate earlier.  And those would mean a lot of backtracking, and probably getting lost for the tenth time today.  Grumpy but what to do but keep moving, so I do. The dearth of food and drink is absolutely stunning.  I can't describe how many people there were.  Perhaps many of them were grumpy too.  There are little water stations all through the city, including the market area, which is a wonderful thing, but I'm not going to take a chance on drinking the water here.

my medicine cabinet

Last night for the first time on this trip, some mosquitos introduced themselves, in the way that mosquitos do.  That made me pull out my travel medicine kit and ponder its contents.  I have:

aspirin
excedrin migraine
pepto bismol
immodium
antibiotic (in case the pepto and immodium don't work)
bandaids
decongestant
cough drops

Aside from those, you might say I have some preventatives:

mosquito repellant with Deet
sun screen

Guess I'll just scratch those itches

a short philosophy of travel

Something about travel gradually opens up places in my mind and spirit that often I am too busy in day to day life to notice.
I regret now that I never learned much about world history. How did I manage to go through high school and college and never really get more than a whiff of names like Tamerlane, Genghis Khan, Justinian and so many others? At the time they all seemed like just some facts to memorize but now I see better the threads connecting all of them and us, and would so much appreciate being able to better assimilate it all into a beautiful tapestry rather than a jumbled knot of threads. I know that tapestry is there, but the task of untangling all the threads and making sense of it now seems quite daunting.  There's a book I saw once-it was quite thick-sort of an overview of the history of humankind on this earth. There's a great choice for a book club/history lesson! 
Traveling makes me look for knowledge and context to what I see, it makes geography come alive and suddenly countries and places I could never have placed on a map, I now can.  It really is an education in so many ways.  I know I only scratch the surface with my little 2 week trips, but the richness I get hints of!
Like most of you who are reading this blog, I too have already chosen my life path.  The years slide by so quickly and as far as I know, we only get 1 life and just so many choices.  I don't regret my life; I am so appreciative that I was born in a country in which I DO get the choices, enough to eat, opportunities that are really mostly self limited and freedom beyond what most of the world knows-particularly women of the world.
What I regret is the lost opportunities to know, to really grasp knowledge and assimilate it into my life.  I have no one to blame but myself, I know.
Now I have a sense of the finiteness of my own life that I could never have had at 20, and I want to grasp life with both hands and wring every last drop of the juice out of it that I can.
So...law school, challenging work, people I love and who care for me, travel to places that stretch me and push me, and progress on my own spiritual path.  Life won't be boring, will it?!

it's a small world

I think I have been successful in uploading a few more photos.  For some reason this computer won't let me download the Picasa quick uploader so not very many photos. The link is the same as the last ones, but I'll try to paste it here again.  For some reason its not acting like a link here: 
http://picasaweb.google.com/farmerrirene/Egypt1?authkey=Gv1sRgCJTp3cD3qs7ltAE&feat=directlink


You can tell where the barber shops are, because they all have little drying racks outside on the sidewalk, where they dry the towels they use and then wash.

My new hotel is what I would imagine a place where press correspondents would gather in a foreign country during a war.  It has the requisite smoky bar, restaurant, full service laundry, valet elevator and in a modern twist, offers free wi-fi.  It is called the Windsor Hotel, and you can look it up online if you like.  The website is windsorcairo.com and if you look in the picture gallery, scroll down to the 3rd photo, labeled the Windsor Lounge, I sat in the chair in the far left corner just this afternoon.  How cool is that!?  I must warn you though, the exterior shot especially is an oversell.  It's not quite so lovely from the outside now, the dirt and grime have taken over the building on the outside.  My room is lovely though. It did not come with a gentleman with a tray in hand, though, I must complain! With the elevator having to be operated by the staff, I have so far just chosen to walk down the 7 flights from my room, too much hassle to call for the car.

Ok, too much time on the computer, I'm off to find a taxi to Zamalek. I hope.

Friday

Mr. Grumpy has his eye on me so I don't have the nerve to download photos right now.  Not that there is anything wrong with doing it but I am sure I don't do it the most expeditious way.  Maybe later today.  It's Friday, so lots of things closed today.

I took the Metro to Coptic Cairo this morning, the name given to an area where the indigenous Christians gather for worship on Sundays and Fridays.  The existing buildings are built on top of old ones but some excavation has been done and you can go down into the old streets in some places, where people walked more than 2,000 years ago.  There is a Greek Orthodox Church, a convent, a Coptic Church (they have their own pope, so sort of like Catholic?) and even a synagogue here.  I arrived at what is known as the Hanging Church as a service was in progress, so I stepped in the back.  The first thing that registered was that I was standing on the men's side-they sit separately as in Jewish synagogues.  Most of the women had their heads covered.  So I moved over behind the women and pulled my scarf out of my bag.  No one seemed to mind me being there and I was able to sneak a few photos.  It's an amazing building with a lot of detailed and intricate wood carving.  The doors themselves are astounding.  There were some school girls that came in while I was standing there and a couple of them came up to me smiling and asked my name.  People sort of came and went throughout the service.  The priest (?) actually performed the service in an alcove in the front so only if you were standing in the middle could you see him.  I eventually tired of waiting for the service to end and left, and wandered in the other churches and cemetary.  Then I strolled into what's called Old Cairo where I felt less than welcome.  However, not threatened, and I did not want to give up and go back, so forward I went.  Just put on my 'I know where I'm going' look.

Back to the Metro then, and a teenaged girl offered me a kleenex as I stood on the train.  I wasn't sure what she intended I do with it (no, no snot dripping) but to be polite I took it and said thank you.  Then I saw her wipe her face with one and followed suit, blotting some of the sweat.  I guess my sweaty red face gave me away.  Anyway, little unexpected kindnesses everywhere.

I was starving by then and nothing open due to Ramadan and Friday to boot.  I went to Hardees-I know, but I was hungry.  Then I walked by the US Embassy, would have loved to go in but they don't just let you drop by for tea, so I kept walking.  Taxis hooting constantly, things must be really slow for them today.  Most shops are closed during the day, but after about 8 pm, everything opens and everyone is out shopping, eating and carrying on as if it is the middle of the day.  This is due to Ramadan, or so I'm told.  They sort of switch day and night when they can, because they must fast from dawn to dusk.  I get hungry every 3 hours or so, I can't imagine going all day for an entire month.... and I am drinking a lot of water.  No one expects tourists to fast as well, but the polite thing is to not eat or drink in front of those who are fasting.  So I feel a bit furtive, walking down the street, looking for an alley so I can pull out my water and take a slug.  Kind of funny, really.
Eventually got tired and realized I was near this internet place so here I am.  I'll get back on later, inshallah, and upload some photos and tell you more about my hotel, which oozes character.

arabic

I've only learned a few words, all of them thanks to the school teacher I met the first day and Christy.

Shukran means thank you.  (please is way too complicated, you say it differently depending on whether you are addressing a man, woman or group and if you are in a shop, a more formal setting, inviting someone to do something or you mean 'go ahead')

Insh'allah I already knew-God willing

Yallah-let's go.

And because I have always had a fixation with license plates, I've learned the arabic symbols for 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9.  But I can't figure out how to make this computer show the arabic, even though it's right there on the keys.  The rest is beyond me for such a short visit.  Christy, if I can find a simple arabic/english workbook, I'll pick one up for you.

pyramids and the Sphinx

I decided to rent a car to go to the pyramids today, as some of them are a bit hard to get to on public transit.  I should say I rented a car with a driver-even I am not foolish enough to try to drive here.  I ended up sharing it with a couple from England-that was an interesting beginning.  Their car arrived just moments before mine (I just found out then that they were also going to the pyramids) and they went down.  I went down shortly after and found them in a dispute with their driver who had a black taxi (old, beat up and NO air con) when they were promised a car with A/C.  My car was nice, my driver was nice and so we arranged for them to come with me.  Their driver was very upset and kept talking about being able to switch cars, he would get a permit....which is shorthand for you are going to sit for an hour or two while he negotiates something and then you will be asked to pay extra to compensate him.  So off we went in our lovely air conditioned car.  It was already 90 when I went out walking at 6 am so A/C was more than a luxury.  The couple are both teachers, Nathan is English and teaches math in high school and Aurelia is French and teaches French and Spanish.  They are probably mid 30s and very nice.

We went to Giza first, to the more famous and oft visited 3 pyramids and the Sphinx.  Given that almost nothing the Pharoahs chose to honor and keep was female, I suppose the Sphinx is male, but I'm going to consider her a female.  I liked the Sphinx.  (I will post photos, hopefully tomorrow).  At the entrance to the pyramids, the driver, who speaks very little English, rolls down his window and greets the security police, dropping his left hand outside the car door and out of sight.  The official drops his hand too and it appears they have shaken hands.  Baksheesh given and accepted, the gate opens and we drive in.

The pyramids are truly amazing, as you would expect.  It's really hard to describe them as anything other than a mathematical wonder.  Of course you can no longer climb on them and you can't get close enough to touch the Sphinx (although with enough baksheesh I am sure you could), but there are all sorts of lesser tombs and structures partially restored or dug out, and we were able to clambor all over them.  There are deep tombs, into which it would not be good to fall, and there is nothing to keep you out, no railings, no coverings over most of them.  There was a doorway to a small room, so of course I went in it, and in the dark corner what appeared to be the beginning of a stairway.  I nearly went over and checked it out-and then Nathan threw a rock down...and it was not a stairway.  Oh my.  He and Aurelia wandered about as did I and we just sort of kept each other in sight so as to keep pace with each other at the end.  So sometimes I was on my own and sometimes exploring with them.  Both were nice.  Lots of touts trying to sell a camel ride, a photo on a camel, a horse ride, a carriage ride, water, soda, a photo op. 

Next stop was further out of town.  We drove along a canal fed by the Nile, and I was enchanted by the crops being cultivated.  I wanted to ask the driver questions but his English did not allow for it.  I know there were mangos, corn, several kinds of vegetables, date palms by the hundreds or thousands and many others.  And bougainvillea.  Fruit sands abounded, worked by a young woman in full abeyya (robe, scarf, etc) or a young boy, barefoot and dirty.  Guava, mangos, grapes, bananas and I know not what else.  The road was filled with potholes and of course trucks and other cars, so much jockeying for position and speed, then abrupt slowing for speedbumps, then off again.  In spite of the way they drive, when a small girl dashed in front of us, the driver adeptly avoided hitting her as her mother looked on. 

We passed through a village, with deep rutted dirt roads, donkey carts, like new cars, bicycles, pedestrians and taxis shared the road.  Could have been any small town in central America, except for the signs in Arabic and the clothing.

The second stop was Saqqara, which is home to the Step Pyramid.  The Step Pyramid is the first ever built, in fact the oldest stone structure, older than Stonehenge.  Then lunch-what awesome food!  Kevin and Philip, you both being foodies, you would have really appreciated this lunch.  I was frankly not expecting much, as this was right next to a pyramid and I figured it just got by on location and necessity. However, it was delicious.  We were served a big platter of the bread they make called 'aish-sort of like pillows of air but delicious, then little plates, with tanini, baba ghanoug, falafel, an eggplant mixture and another kind of mixture and then chicken and beef on little grills with tomato and peppers.  All of it was absolutely delightful.

The last stop was at Dashur, which has the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid.  We only got to go to the Red Pyramid, as these are in the middle of a military zone and they close them at will.  We were able to go inside the pyramid by climbing about half way up the outside on steps built for that purpose (have I mentioned how hot it was?)-steep steps.  Then you enter a shaft that slants fairly steeply down about 65 metres into the interior of the pyramid.  It has a metal bottom, with sort of 2x2 wooden slats spaced about a foot or two apart to act as steps and keep you from sliding right down.  It is only about 3 feet wide and 3 feet high, so you have to stoop as well.  It got cooler immediately as I went down but incredibly damp so that just standing at the bottom my skin was dripping-more like condensation than sweat.  At the bottom was a large room and then another short passageway, then another room with a wooden staircase.  Up I went, only to find it dead ended.  So, then I panicked.  Only one way in and out?  That 3x3 shaft?  Oh shit!  I decided to exit post haste.  I kept the panic down by concentrating on the slats in front of me.  I quite literally felt close to losing it.  I guess spelunking is off my list of future activities!

Saw a mummy in the museum, along with lots of amazing artifacts.  there were some drinking cups and bowls made of calcite that were so thin they were almost translucent, yet perfectly formed and smooth.  A 12 foot or longer spear, with a wooden case to carry it in-think of a really long pool stick case.

On our way back out on the dirt road we got a flat tire.  While I knew this must be a hassle for the driver, I really didn't mind, I had no where else to be and it was just part of the adventure.  He limped the car into the village we had passed through before and there he got someone to fix it very quickly. 

I dozed off a bit coming back, and my legs are a bit wobbly from all the climbing.  Great day, all in all.  And I found a different hotel after I got back, for Friday and Saturday nights.  The room is bright and clean, with air conditioning, in an historical building with an interesting elevator which has to be operated by the staff-it has a lever that you push one way to go up and the other to go down.  So you 'call' the car by ringing a bell.

how to drive and how to be a pedestrian

I get a secret pleasure out of riding in a taxi in places like this.  Where people drive like bats out of hell, cutting each other off, squeezing in where there really is no room, horns honking.  And yet, no one gets road rage, it's just the way you drive here.  It's exhilirating! 

And then crossing the street.  This is literally a fun game-really.  It's a sort of chess game played by you and the cars, along with other pedestrians.  There may be crosswalks, but those are for show, they have nothing to do with where to cross the street.  And, get this, there are traffic lights, but they too are meaningless.  All of them.  All over this huge city, cars play an intricate game of chicken and some unwritten rules of navigation to pass through intersections.  I am fascinated by it.  So I watch the cars coming and calculate how many 'lanes'-I use that term loosely- I will need to cross.  I determine by the speed of the oncoming cars where there will be a break-in the first lane.  You cross that lane and stand between the moving cars and wait for the break in the next lane.  I'm telling you, its way more fun than any board game you can think of.  Fortunately most streets are one way, so you only have to watch one direction at a time.

early morning on the streets of Cairo

Early morning and the streets are quiet at last.  Ramadan went late last night, keeping me awake along with the beastly heat.  Across the alley in the building, one floor up from mine, a young man kept coming out on the balcony and throwing something in a plastic bag 5 floors down to the ground, seeming to aim for someone, and then darting into his room so they would not know who it was.  It seemed like an innocent prank, as I never heard any protests from below.  Eventually he seemed to feel the need to get credit and began calling out to a friend before he took aim.

So with the heat, I am up and out the door at 7-oops, it's 6 really, I forgot to change my travel clock time when I came to Egypt.  There's a man sleeping in the doorway sitting up, a policeman and an ATM-that's right, I need cash, great opportunity. Quiet, dirty, FILTHY streets and buildings.  Most of the buildings look as if they are old and lovely but are so coated with grime and pollution and dust that they appear dilapidated. 

I saw a boy with two plastic containers, alternating them under an air conditioner to catch the condensation run off and using the water to wash cars.  Patience is a virtue I may someday aspire to.

Taxis in the streets, but not many fares, so they are constantly beeping their horns and slowing to see if I will give them some business.  I do a quick shake of my head and look away and they move on.  This repeats itself many times during the day.

impressions

At dawn, when the streets are still empty because of Ramadan, an old man on a cart pulled by a donkey.  The cart was loaded with vegetables.

The call to prayer over loudspeakers, coming from all directions, unsynchronized and unharmonic.

Celebrations of Iftar-long tables in the streets, colored lights and sparkly banners strung from trees and buildings, people talking and laughing as they break the daily fast of Ramadan. Dirt and smog everywhere.  People are kind here, to each other and to strangers.

arrival in Cairo

I decided to try the bus option from the airport instead of a cab.  There is a shuttle bus that takes you to a bus station not far from the airport (this was changed from the guidebook, but there always seems to be someone who speaks english and is willing to help).  When I got to the bus station, I was looking for Bus 356, which goes to the city center.  Turns out, the numbers are in arabic, so I was lost.  I started asking people and one guy pointed me to a bus that looked like all the others.  But he seemed sure, so I went.  I had another guardian angel then in the form of a young woman who was also riding the bus and spoke a little english.  She confirmed with the driver where he was going and then showed me where to get off.  She even asked someone else for directions to a street name I had.  Lesson:  be nice to tourists when they are lost and confused in your home town.  Then I started walking.  It was around 2 pm and beastly hot, so I decided pretty quickly to take a cab, which got me out of the sun-and into a non air conditioned car that went about 2 mph due to traffic.  When we moved I got a breeze, and when we didn't I just dripped.  The hotel I guess is more of a hostel.  I have a sink in my room and a shared shower/toilet.  It seems ok, although very basic.  It's 73 Egyptian Pounds per night, which is...let me see.  When I changed money at the airport, I gave him $80 US and got 455 EP or so back.  That makes the room pretty cheap. Its on the fourth floor of a large building with a cage elevator-sort of like a construction elevator you might see in an action movie where they are fighting their way up or down, except it's smaller. I'll try to remember to get a photo of it.  I have a fan and a balcony with a view of the alley and an old building.



All the women I have seen have on scarves and either a burka style outer garment or long sleeves and pants/skirt.  However, the shop windows have lots of pretty dresses and lingerie on offer, so I guess ony their family and close friends get to see those. Some of the men wear robes (kaftans?) and some are dressed in western style clothes.  I am staying near the city center/downtown.  Right now I am about 5-10 minutes from the Nile River, I think.  I am going to stroll over there after I am done here.  I'm hiding out doing internet during the hottest part of the afternoon.  Hoping to go see some pyramids tomorrow or Friday.  The parts of the city I have seen remind me of Bangkok, Mexico City and other large dirty cities with a lot of everyday life going on.  Its funny, when I ride the bus or Metro, everyone has on their impervious faces, just like on the bus in the US, pretending not to notice anyone else around them.  I guess the unwritten rules of mass public behaviour are pretty similar in most large cities.  Masses of people moving in all directions, pollution, traffic jams, honking, cars cutting each other off routinely (no offence meant and none taken), but little common courtesies and kindness to strangers like me.


I went to a tourist information office around the corner from my hotel and the first thing she told me (after saying I was her first customer all day) was that she does not have a map of Cairo...hmmm.  Oh well, she had air conditioning.

the menu

smoked salmon
french green bean salad with yoghurt

choice of stuffed eggplant with minced beef in a tomato sauce with rice
or chicken skewer with arabic spice, sauteed leaf spinach and rice

vanilla pannacotta
fresh, warm bread roll with butter
crackers with soft white cheese

beverage of your choice

*****************************************************

This was what I had for lunch-on the plane!  I had an hour and a quarter flight from Istanbul to Cairo and they fed us very well.  I chose the eggplant and when I looked at it I thought, this is going to be bad.  However, it was delicious.  And before they served us, they handed out a stylish professionally printed brochure with the menu on it.  Then they came by with a snack and a second drink option.

The flight was less than half full and I had a window seat, but unfortunately it was over the wing so I could not see a lot.  Coming in to Cairo I saw a lot of sand though.  It looks like they have to clear the runway of sand like the midwest has to clear the snow in winter.  I imagine it must do bad things to engines and any mechanical works as well.

where is the ice machine?

There are some words in Turkish that seem to either have English origins or perhaps they share a common origin.  For instance, the word Tekstil-which is pronounced something like techsteel, and refers to fabrics, etc, therefore must mean textile. 

I noticed that gas (petrol) is about 3 TL (turkish lira) per litre.  A litre is just over 1/4 of a gallon, so that's about 12 TL/gallon.  And $1= about 1.50 TL, so gas costs $8/gallon, if I did my calculations correctly.

The Turkish keyboard has a special i on it, that looks like an english i when you type it but does not function the same.  I could not figure out why I couldn't sign in at first and then someone helped me.

No ice to be had here, anywhere.  It just is not an option.

I met a young Kurdish man the other afternoon.  He was a waiter in a sidewalk cafe where I stopped for a drink and a cooldown in the midafternoon.  He was quite talkative and I did not feel able to pull out my book and ignore him.  Anyway, he asked me where I was from and I told him the U.S.  He then said he wants to go to Miami someday.  Not sure why, I would have asked but his english was not that good.  He told me he has lived in Istanbul for 4 years and comes from a village far away, in Turkey but not Turkish.  I asked what he meant and he said he is Kurdish.  So I said eastern Turkey and he said yes.  He did not say any more about it and I did not know if it was ok to ask questions but he had a sad look on his otherwise perpetually happy face when he said that.  He indicated that another waiter there is from the same place.  Everywhere in the world there are immigrants and displaced people trying to make a new life-and they end up belonging neither to the old world or their new one in the end. 

some photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/farmerrirene/Turkey1?authkey=Gv1sRgCP63heXx5MymBA&feat=directlink

I am challenged ın that even though Blogger ıs ın englısh, the pop up ınstructıons are ın Turkısh.  I am tryıng to remember the locatıons of dıfferent optıons...can someone try thıs lınk out and see ıf ıt works?  Thank you!

plans

After lunch I went to the traın statıon and wıth the help of a woman who speaks Turkısh got the ınfo so I could book a tıcket  to Konya.  I am excıted!  It ıs a sleeper but I am not sure how many are ın the sleeper...I dıd not have tıme to do the trıp durıng the day so opted for a sleeper - no hotel to  pay for and I am usıng my sleepıng tıme to cover the dıstance.  I found a cheap small backpack (book bag sıze) today and wıll use that for storıng some of my stuff when I go to Caıro tomorrow and then wıll take ıt to Konya and leave my bıgger pack here.  I had been wonderıng what I was goıng to use so am glad that ıs resolved.

I actually catch the traın on the Asıa sıde and so I went ın search of the ferry that takes me to the traın statıon, went and found the statıon and I even thınk I can fınd my traın-quıte an ımprovement over Indıa where I always felt ıt was only due to luck and some stranger`s kındness that I found the rıght traın.

Sınce I was there I wandered around a bıt ın Asıan Istanbul-sort of a gıant suburb of the European Istanbul from what I have read and seen.  It ıs a bıt funny to be able to take a ferry rıde from one contınent to the next for the prıce of 1.5 Turkısh lıra.

Now to change gears and get ready for Caıro.  I thınk I have a hotel reservatıon but not sure.  Barrıng another late flıght, I wıll at least arrıve mıd afternoon.  I have to say, ıf someone would pay me to travel, I thınk I`d take that job!

Before noon

The hotel I am stayıng ın ıs besıde the Blue Mosque.  I can hear the call to prayer from my room.  I told you I moved after the fırst nıght, but not why.  The room I had ınıtıally had a fan but no aır condıtıonıng, whıch was ok to start wıth.  However the `wındows`were really doors and there was no way to leave them open wıthout leavıng my room wıde open too.  Faced wıth that dılemma I decıded to fınd a dıfferent place the next mornıng.  So my new room has an aır condıtıoner whıch only works when the key tab ıs ınserted ın the slot-ın other words ıf you go out of the room you can`t leave your aır on.  So ıt ıs a lıttle warm when I return but not too bad.  Last nıght durıng the nıght I trıed to turn down the aır as ıt actually started to get chılly after a couple of hours.  I could turn the temperature up but nothıng changed.  There ıs one thın blanket on the bed so I just alternated between aır on and aır off.  That worked pretty well.

I began my day by rıdıng over the Galata Brıdge and then walkıng back.  The brıdge has all kınds of restaurants under ıt although at that hour none were open yet.  The ferrıes were unloadıng masses of commuters as I walked-many people lıve on the Asıa sıde of Istanbul and commute to the Europe sıde for work-a lot lıke those who lıve ın Sonoma and Marın Countıes and commute to San Francısco.  I wandered down crooked and narrow lıttle cobblestone streets and got completely lost ın them, watchıng as shopkeepers began to set out theır wares for the day.  The streets and markets seem to go on forever-and I have not even gotten to the Grand Bazaar yet.  No one even seemed to notıce me and I felt free to wander and look.  I thınk back street wanderıng may be my favorıte actıvıty when travelıng.  I lost track of tıme but eventually my stomach remınded me and so then I went off lookıng for food.  Breakfast here ıs mostly a boıled egg, olıves, some sort of cheese and bread.  Today I had frıed eggs  wıth slıced tomatoes and toast at Lale Restaurant, better known by westerners as the Puddıng Shop.  In the 60s ıt was a prımary gatherıng place for westerners headıng to and from the east overland.  In the days before Lonely Planet and Rough Guıde, ıt was where hıppıes and adventurers went to get and gıve travel ınfo. The Asıa they saw would have been a dıfferent place, no doubt.  I wısh I could talk wıth some of them and hear theır storıes. 

Then I was off to do some sıght seeıng as ıt was about 9 am, when thıngs start to open.

The underground cıstern ıs an amazıng place.  Those of you who saw the James Bond movıe To Russıa Wıth Love may remember ıt.  It was constructed wıth 336 huge columns and covers the area of about 2 football fıelds.  Clay pıpes and an aquaduct carrıed the water 12 mıles to the cıstern, whıch was constructed ın case of a water shortage ın the tıme of Justınıan.  Already at 9 am ıt was a nıce respıte from the heat of the day-although of course stıll very humıd.  There ısn`t much water ın there now but I saw some fısh swımmıng around.

The Hagıa Sofıa (pronounced Aya Sofıa) was also constructed under Justınıan as a cathedral of amazıng proportıons.  You could fıt the Notre Dame cathedral ın Parıs under ıts dome.  Justınıan hıred a mathemetıcıan to engıneer ıt (see, there was a reason to take Algebra ın hıgh school).  When Sultan Mahmet, the Ottoman ruler, conquered Constantınople ın 1453, he had the cathedral converted to a mosque and now ıt ıs a museum.  There was scaffoldıng everywhere as restoratıon ıs ongoıng, and a lot of other tourısts. 

I went on from there to the Blue Mosque, whıch was so overrun wıth tourısts I dıd not stay long.  For some reason goıng to cathedrals, churches and mosques feels a bıt lıke voyuerısm-although I stıll go!  The Blue Mosque ıs so named for ıts ınterıor.  It has sıx mınarets-the tower the ımam or muezzın clımbed to sound the call to prayer-now ıt ıs broadcast over speakers on the mınarets ınstead.  The maın hall ıs huge-thıs ıs where the men pray.  The women are segregated ın the back or ın the balconıes.  Durıng the prayer tımes no tourısts are allowed to enter-whıch ıs when I would really want to vısıt anyway! 

By the tıme I left the Blue Mosque I was ready for a break.  I don`t know for sure what the temp ıs here but ıt ıs hot and I sweat from the mınute I leave my room.  So by that tıme I was red of face and had to wıpe the sweat constantly so ıt dıd not drıp ın my eyes-yes I was the very pıcture of fashıon and poıse.  Well maybe not the fashıon but I dıd just ıgnore the sweat factor.  I feel a lıttle sorry for the people who stand next to me on the Metro. 

Lunch was at the restaurant famous for ıts meatballs so of course I had to have some.  They dıdn`t look lıke meatballs-they were oblong sort of flattened cylınders.  One of the waıt staff offered me some sort of sauce to go wıth them-mıstake!  Had to try ıt though.

And that was the mornıng...

Serendıpıty?

Thıngs have a way of developıng ın theır own tıme.  As I wandered about today (Monday) I came across an englısh lnaguage bookstore that specıalızes ın books about Turkey.  I can never pass up a good bookstore, even 10 tımezones away from home.  I was flıppıng the pages of a book called The Caravan Moves On, by Irfan Orga.  It was publıshed ın 1958-he also wrote Portraıt of a Turkısh Famıly.  One page drew me ın, and so I bought ıt, along wıth 3 other books.  (Clay I have decıded to read your souvenır before I gıve ıt to you, hope you don`t mınd).  I had earlıer been workıng on my ıtınerary and ran across somethıng about Konya, a town ın central Turkey.  It was called Iconıum ın Roman/bıblıcal tımes.  The author wrote quıte a bıt about the town and now I want to go and see ıt.  The traın goes there, so that ıs an added bonus, as I love takıng the traın.  So now the only thıng remaınıng ıs a tıcket, whıch I shall ınvestıgate tomorrow.

what to wear?

I see women ın full bırka and women ın short skırts and everythıng ın between.  Lots of women wear a head scarf wıth regular clothes-although those regular clothes are long sleeved and show no leg skın eıther.  The covered up seem pretty tolerant of the uncovered, but of course I can`t really tell.

Tonıght I am headed out to see what happens after sunset ın the Hıppodrome durıng Ramadan. 

gettıng there

On the flıght from Heathrow to Istanbul I met a new frıend-her name ıs Dımah.  She ıs Syrıan but I at fırst assumed she was Turkısh-she was on a flıght to Turkey and she was wearıng a headscarf.  She ıs Muslım, although she grew up Catholıc!- and so could not eat untıl sundown (Ramadan) and I at fırst felt bad about eatıng ın front of her but she was quıte easy about ıt.  She had the attendant brıng her dınner after the sun had set and they were happy to accomodate her.  She ıs a doctor who ıs doıng addıtıonal traınıng ın London but was on her way home to vısıt.  She was very talkatıve-I had planned to sleep a bıt but she had her laptop and shared photos of her home town, her London flat and her ex-fıance.  Turns out she ıs on Facebook too and saıd she would frıend me.  Small, small world.  She ınsısted that her country ıs quıte safe for an Amerıcan to travel ın.  We both educated each other a bıt, mostly her teachıng me.  So whıle I was very tıred, I was glad for the chance to talk.

Arrıval ın Istanbul went smoothly untıl I mıssed the spot to get off the traın.  I got through ımmıgratıon and customs just fıne, found the traın and even fıgured out how to buy tokens for ıt.  From there ıt got a lıttle ugly.  The traın fılled up, and I know ıts not all about me, but I felt quıte out of place and lıke everyone else knew I was lost.  Probably they dıd.  I fınally asked a woman who ended up speakıng some englısh.  She and her husband were rıdıng to meet theır daughter so they had me rıde along wıth them and then they told me where to get off.  They were very kınd, although the daughter`s questıon about dıd I feel safe made me a bıt nervous.  If ıt had not been late and dark I would not have been so nervous.  I knew my backpack labeled me as a tourıst.  But people have been nıce so far.  When I got off at the statıon they showed me, I went ın search of the tram statıon.  But the offıcer at the exıt told me ıt was not runnıng at that tıme of nıght.  He poınted me to some taxıs across the street.  It was a dımly lıt street ın what seemed lıke a remote area of town. around mıdnıght at thıs poınt.  So I went to the taxıs.  Thus commenced a taxı (spelled taksı here) conventıon and they appoınted one to drıve me.  I had made a sort of reservatıon at a place called Cordıal Hotel (half hostel and half hotel) so I showed them the prıntout from that and I took out my book and showed them on the map.  The drıver seemed confıdent and I began to relax...bad move.  Turns out he dıd not know where ıt was.  He grew ıncreasıngly grumpy and he kept talkıng to me ın what I guess was Turkısh and so I kept talkıng to hım ın Englısh.  It ıs funny now that ıts the next day and I survıved.  He trıed to get me to get out at some maın street but of course I had no ıdea where I was.  So I got out wıth my pack but dıd not pay hım yet as I dıd not want hım to drıve off and leave me.  He asked a passerby about my hotel and fortunately another tourıst was passıng by and heard - he told me how to walk there from that spot.  I was quıte relıeved to see the lıt up sıgn sayıng Cordıal Hotel.  The room was not great but ıt worked for last nıght.  I have already moved to another place called...I can`t remember.  but I know how to get there.

I am spendıng the day rıdıng the tram and walkıng and tryıng to get my bearıngs-much easıer ın the daylıght!  I am even goıng to rıde back out to the aırport and then take the trıp back ın just to be sure I can do ıt, as I have a flıght on Wednesday to Caıro.  Amazıng street scenes and buıldıngs.  I am not too lıkely to get far from the tourıst traıl here ın Istanbul but there ıs so much hıstory and so much to see that I am just not goıng to worry about ıt.  And I feel the need to get my sea legs under me anyway.  I wıll go to some sıtes tomorrow and the rest wıll have to waıt untıl my return from Caıro.

flight update

I'm spending a little extra time in Heathrow as I missed my connecting flight.  We sat at the gate in SF for 2 1/2 hours and I had a 3 hour layover here.  I raced like mad, cut in line at security and still did not make it.  Heathrow has 4 (5 usually but one has been demolished as England prepares for the Olympics) separate terminals which are a long way apart and the buses between them run intermittently.  Let's just say I've had the opportunity to visit 3 of the 4 terminals today and ended back at Terminal 1 to get rebooked.  In spite of the flight issues, I have never had such friendly and helpful service as I have gotten here all around.

My new flight goes at 4:30pm so I have time to type this note.  I had hoped to avoid arriving at night but there is no help for it now.  My initial plan was to take the train and tram in from the airport to Sultanahmet station and walk to a hotel from there.  Not sure now if I'll do that or take a taxi.  Arriving in a place so foreign at night can be intimidating.  However, its Ramadan right now, which means that everyone is out late at night (fasting all day until sunset).  I have no idea what the time difference is between London and SF, or Istanbul for that matter.  I'm guessing it's late evening at home, but I got some good sleep on the plane so am doing ok.  It's mid day on Sunday here. 

Istanbul

Those who know me know that I've been bitten by the bug-I love to travel.  And so I'm off to Turkey in a few days.  A book I read recently talks about 6 different kinds of travelers (you can take the quiz at http://www.besttripchoices.com/).  I seem to fall somewhere between a Venturer and a Mid-Venturer, although this trip may fall more in the Venturer category.  Then again, Istanbul is a modern city of more than 12 million people, with a colorful and long history-it was founded in 660 BC.  It has been called Byzantium, Nova Roma, Constantinople, Konstantiniye and now Istanbul.  Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, and Istanbul does too.  One of the things I plan to do is cross the Bosphorus and see both sides of the city. 

It will be mid-August when I arrive, and Ramadan will have just begun-the ninth and holiest month in the Islam calendar.  The faithful will abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk for about 30 days.  This will probably have some impact on me as I travel, as some restaurants will close. 

I'm traveling light again, as I did on the India trip.  It's so freeing to be able to easily carry all my belongings and not have to pull a roller bag behind me.  I won't have to check any luggage and I'm limiting my book supply to 2, other than my guidebook.  Oh, I also have a small Turkish phrase book, which I should be studying right now.  Oh, yeah and one small book to study for my classes, which start shortly after I get back.  If only I didn't need to pack clothes.

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