Somewhere between Asia and Europe
Ok, I'm back into blogging again, this time I'm coming live to you via blogspot, myspace and facebook. Now I have truly become one of those people who is easy to stalk.
I'm in Istanbul. Turkey is mostly in Asia but a bit of it is in European and Istanbul is a city spanning both continents. It was a 5 hour easyjet flight from London. I slept for most of it. New Zealanders don't have to pay for visas here. Almost everybody else does. It most likely has something to do with World War One when the Turks were fighting against the Ottoman empire: The Australia and New Zealand Army Corps were sent in as cannon fodder at Gallipoli. Many lost their lives in the battle that wikipedia calls 'defining'. That all happened back when Istanbul was called Constantinople... for some reason Australians have to pay 20 euro visa entry.
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Our entry into the city was splendid, A bus ride took us straight to the train station where we booked our tickets for Iran. The ticket guy found my head-scarfed photo from my Iranian visa very amusing in comparison to my actual head that is surrounded by fluffy red hair (the blonde summer really shredded my hair). A ferry took us from the Asian side to the European side as the sun set and the lights of the city came on and lit up the stunning mosques on the surrounding hills. To me the minarets look like fairytale castle turrets.
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul
One of the best things about Istanbul is that we have the best guide in the city. Akanksha has been showing us all the best in Turkish eating, drinking, sights, and shopping. AK worked with me in Ethiopia, she has been teaching here ever since she left Africa months ago. She is conversational in Turkish and has an excellent insight into the culture and lifestyle. Next week she is taking me to a hamam, a traditional Turkish bathhouse.
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way
Turkey is pretty. it has carpets and cats and Turkish delight and wonderful food and friendly people. I've now been into a mosque for the first time ever. I can only compare it to entering a large church. In a church the walls and floor are rugged exposed wood or stone that conveys the construction of the building, there are seats and aisles and a sense of order, of structure and of how you are expected to behave. The mosque we went into (the blue mosque) had the same immense ceilings and enormous space as any of the big cathedrals but the feel was strangely homely. We had to take our shoes off before we entered and the floor was covered wall to wall with soft bouncy carpet. The walls were tiled with floral tiles much like what you would find in your grandma's kitchen or bathroom. But most of all there was space; no chairs or aisles just one big fun romper-room of carpeted space. I liked it, it was warm, comfortable and free. I think mosques will be the new churches.
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Totally off the topic from places of monotheistic worship and 1950s swing tunes, before I left the UK I was impressed to be able to buy a new mooncup from Boots. Boots is a very mainstream high street chemist that now stocks hippy alternatives to tampons (mooncup.com) it hasn't yet started stocking beppys (another brilliant alternative to tampons that I've just found out about: www.beppy.com). But they do have soft disposable vibrating cockrings. Now that's really progressive for such a mainstream store. I'm impressed.
We leave for Iran Wednesday night. It's a 3 day train ride. I have got covering clothes and bought a new headscarf, I'm not carrying any alcohol, Rushdie books or pork products, so I think I'm ready. Actually I can't wait.
I'm in Istanbul. Turkey is mostly in Asia but a bit of it is in European and Istanbul is a city spanning both continents. It was a 5 hour easyjet flight from London. I slept for most of it. New Zealanders don't have to pay for visas here. Almost everybody else does. It most likely has something to do with World War One when the Turks were fighting against the Ottoman empire: The Australia and New Zealand Army Corps were sent in as cannon fodder at Gallipoli. Many lost their lives in the battle that wikipedia calls 'defining'. That all happened back when Istanbul was called Constantinople... for some reason Australians have to pay 20 euro visa entry.
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Our entry into the city was splendid, A bus ride took us straight to the train station where we booked our tickets for Iran. The ticket guy found my head-scarfed photo from my Iranian visa very amusing in comparison to my actual head that is surrounded by fluffy red hair (the blonde summer really shredded my hair). A ferry took us from the Asian side to the European side as the sun set and the lights of the city came on and lit up the stunning mosques on the surrounding hills. To me the minarets look like fairytale castle turrets.
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul
One of the best things about Istanbul is that we have the best guide in the city. Akanksha has been showing us all the best in Turkish eating, drinking, sights, and shopping. AK worked with me in Ethiopia, she has been teaching here ever since she left Africa months ago. She is conversational in Turkish and has an excellent insight into the culture and lifestyle. Next week she is taking me to a hamam, a traditional Turkish bathhouse.
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way
Turkey is pretty. it has carpets and cats and Turkish delight and wonderful food and friendly people. I've now been into a mosque for the first time ever. I can only compare it to entering a large church. In a church the walls and floor are rugged exposed wood or stone that conveys the construction of the building, there are seats and aisles and a sense of order, of structure and of how you are expected to behave. The mosque we went into (the blue mosque) had the same immense ceilings and enormous space as any of the big cathedrals but the feel was strangely homely. We had to take our shoes off before we entered and the floor was covered wall to wall with soft bouncy carpet. The walls were tiled with floral tiles much like what you would find in your grandma's kitchen or bathroom. But most of all there was space; no chairs or aisles just one big fun romper-room of carpeted space. I liked it, it was warm, comfortable and free. I think mosques will be the new churches.
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Totally off the topic from places of monotheistic worship and 1950s swing tunes, before I left the UK I was impressed to be able to buy a new mooncup from Boots. Boots is a very mainstream high street chemist that now stocks hippy alternatives to tampons (mooncup.com) it hasn't yet started stocking beppys (another brilliant alternative to tampons that I've just found out about: www.beppy.com). But they do have soft disposable vibrating cockrings. Now that's really progressive for such a mainstream store. I'm impressed.
We leave for Iran Wednesday night. It's a 3 day train ride. I have got covering clothes and bought a new headscarf, I'm not carrying any alcohol, Rushdie books or pork products, so I think I'm ready. Actually I can't wait.
posted by Rachel | 3:47 pm
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