I wake up at 3 AM and have trouble going back to sleep. Seven time zones will do that to you. After breakfast I set off for a walkabout in the city. Some first impressions of Istanbul:
- Enormous, lively city. Roads that wind around, up and down, in all directions and underneath. I try to follow along on a map, using mosques as markers (they are everywhere), but very quickly get lost. After several hours (and about 5 miles) of what seemed like going around in circles, I finally manage to find my way back to the hotel.
- People in Turkey seem much more used to tourists than in India. Walking the streets of India, I got used to curious, friendly stares. Here, the locals don’t give us a second look.
- I managed to source a street vendor for my favorite vegetable, so I should be good for the rest of the month.
- This week, the country is celebrating its 100th year of independence. Turkish flags (red background with a star and crescent moon) are everywhere. Yesterday, there were flyovers and fireworks, and lots of car-honking.
- Last night, I get a lovely bouquet of flowers delivered to my room. For a fleeting moment, I wonder, do I have a secret admirer in Turkey? They put a smile on face, even if they were from our handlers (and I found out everyone else got them too…)
Breaking News: I learned this morning that there is a Dunkin’ Donuts in town. So tomorrow, I am off on a mission. (In between visiting the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar, of course!)
20 responses to “Getting Lost, Getting Found”
The Dunkin beacon shines bright–can’t wait to hear what flavor variations the Turkish DD offers.
See today’s post. Sigh.
Your photos and descriptions make me want to pack my bags! Thank you so much for sharing your adventures
We’ve got room on board… 🙂
Back to your exploring! Good to hear you arrived safely.
A little jet-lagged right now, but it was a non-eventful flight, fortunately.
Leave it to you to find a dunkin donuts! and corn! is it on the cob? Nice colors. You can start a new color series…..Colors of the world!
Yes! What are the chances that I would luck out on my two favorite food groups. And yes, a new color series is underway. Today, I was trying to chase down a lemon-vendor, he had such luscious yellow lemons in his cart. But he was too fast for me. I’ll have to try again tomorrow.
Thank you for the post!
I would be looking for Starbucks.
I haven’t seen any Starbucks here yet. But I’ll keep an eye out for you.
With world class Turkish coffee why would anyone opt for Starbucks unless they are serving up real Turkish coffee?
There is something to be said for the comfort of the familiar. If one does not like Turkish coffee, one is not required to have it just because they are in Turkey.
With world class Turkish coffee why would anyone opt for Starbucks unless they are serving up real Turkish coffee?
You are so good at making the most of whatever opportunities present themselves (and at turning misfortune into opportunity). Looking forward to hearing more about Turkey.
Glad I’m able to share my adventures with you, Judy.
What is your favorite vegetable??
Corn!
What is your favorite vegetable??
Enjoy!
Wishing you were here with us, JIm! Hope to see you soon.