it's not the arrival that we remember, it's the journey itself

I gained three hours today, unexpectedly. I should have seen it coming but to tell you the truth (because why lie about it?), it didn't really matter until after I had arrived here in Istanbul.

I realized this evening as I walked past the Sultan Ahmet Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, that the first time I was here, I had not yet started law school, and it was smack in the middle of Ramadan. Another life time ago.

My flight here was absolutely the most entertaining flight I have ever been on. The man across the aisle from me heard me speaking English to the flight attendant, and he immediately struck up a conversation. He and his colleagues were on their way to a conference of urologists in Georgia (former Soviet republic Georgia, not the state from whence came Charles).

Bakhadirkhanov Mukhamed Zarif introduced his colleagues, and when they brought out the whiskey, I was obliged to drink a toast with them after a short speech by the other doctor about friends and hospitality and I'm not sure what else, his English was not so great- I agreed heartily in any case. The assistant traveling with them predictably was a young, good-looking woman. I don't know why they were traveling in coach.

They continued to drink throughout the flight, and to socialize with others on the plane. There was some musical chairs, and very moderate harassment of the attendants for more cola (to chase the whiskey). I was a disappointment, declining to participate in the ongoing drinking.

The attendants tried periodically to keep things in line, and the men never got obnoxious, they just got their way. When it was time to land, the attendants couldn't get all of the glasses picked up from the trays so they left them, and as we came in for landing, I noticed that my friend did not have a seatbelt on, and his bag was sitting fully out in the aisle. I think the attendants decided to pick their battles. Dealing with them all the time would no doubt wear thin very quickly, but for the duration of the flight, it was yet more insight into how their culture works. I am continually surprised and delighted at the friendliness of the Uzbek people. They asked me to tell all of you to come to Uzbekistan, which I am happy to do.

I'd forgotten how lovely Istanbul is, and I regret that I will have little time to reacquaint myself with it. I went on an errand for Lilly this afternoon, unsuccessful as to my objective but resulting in accidental discovery of a charming little neighborhood, full of life at end of the day. The narrow streets lent a more intimate feel, as families and people on their way home stopped at vegetable markets, meat shops, the bakery, and many other small shops. Cafes abounded, and life seemed to slow down despite the fact that it was in the middle of a large city.

My hotel has a rooftop terrace 8 floors up, and I took this photo from Europe looking across the water to Asia.