Monday, April 28, 2008

How to pack 7 days within 48 hours

My phone was ringing non-stop this morning. Welcome calls from my new Turkish friends. Of course, courtesy of couchsurfing. Alp, Dogan, Fatma... Just overwhelming kindness.

My host Özge spent all morning helping me research and set up interviews: I have 3 set up already. I love this country. I think I won't have problems with finding sources in this city of over 12 million people.

In the afternoon- a short stroll through Sultanahmet- in the rain- and köfte (meetballs) at Sultanahmet Köftecisi, one of the best-known ın Istanbul. A jump ınto the Russian district. I was greeted with zdrastvoitie in all the shoe shops there. Discovered the local warning code: if someone lifts your wındshield wiper, you shouldn't park there anymore. You're not welcome.

This is my second night in Istanbul, and I am spending it at Rabia's place- a girl I met traveling from Bosnia to Montenegro last year.

In less than 48 hours, I took the ferry, different minibuses, the taxi, the metro, the bus and the tram. Oh, and a Turkish plane :) I feel like I've been here for at least a week!

Istanbul, sweet Istanbul.

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