Istanbul finale
ok so let me finish up the rest of the istanbul trip with Andrea. we did alot of shopping and the best shopping was definitely at the markets. we had fun in these 'bazaars'! got some tea (istanbul/turkey is known for their amazing apple tea) and a table runner and other little trinkets. we also walked up and down Taxim street because there were so many shops...at one point it started raining HEAVILY while we were in on particular shop. well when it started this massive downpour, everyone who was shopping all moved to the sides of the street and into the entryways of the shops. not many people were prepared for the rain with umbrellas. so we got stuck in this shop you see. then we had to move out of the doorway for safety reasons and thus we were pretty much forced to look around. turns out it was a Turkish men's store.
there was nothing in there for us, and nothing of remote interest.
however we were stuck. so we made the best of it. after a while, we got bored and decided to face the weather. we borrowed plastic sacks from the store and proceeded.
eh. we got soaked.
on our way home that evening, we took a long route which took us down a different street than normal. it was a busy and interesting street and as we walked by, everyone tried to get us to come into their shop or into their restaurant respectively. my favorite one tho was a man who owned a carpet shop saying to us as he was sitting outside his shop at a table already playing, 'come play batgammon! it's fun!' not then, but later on i was taught how to play this game and i think i got the basics--however i need to work on my strategy. if anyone wants to play with me back in the states, let me know!
we took an afternoon and went to a Turkish bath and that was interesting...we didnt exactly know what to do or what to expect. but turns out it's just what is says it is. a bath. you can bathe yourself (and we probably needed it) but then andrea and i also got 30 minute massages--now THAT was great.
the food in turkey was great. they have alot of fish and pasta. i dont think i had a dish that i didnt like...take a look at a couple:
ok a typical turkish toilet for WOMEN is a hole in the floor. well ok, it's a drain in porcelin. but it's in the floor. and, you see, women cannot use the restroom on the floor very easily... but thank goodness these are not in most 'tourist places' or restaurants or hotels. however once upon a time i needed to go to the restroom very very badly--and to my dismay the only bathroom i could find was of this sort. *gasp* i made do. i had no choice. it couldn't wait. but just know that these bathrooms, my Turkish friends, are NOT ok for women! :) moving right along...
we also went up the Galata tower one day to see the city of istanbul from up high and it was beautiful.
we went up to a different high place during the evening and saw the city at night. some photos:
i also bought myself a ring for graduation. i've wanted a ring that wasn't a typical college graduation ring and i've also wanted a ring that i would wear all the time to signify my completion of both ACU and Tech. I found one and love it. i'm officially making it my ACU/Tech graduation ring. when you see me next, have me show you ( i dont have a picture of it right now)
ok, two more things and the istanbul with andrea trip will pretty much be summed up! 1) Andrea used her alarm on her phone to wake us up every morning. so not only did we get woken up by a call-to-prayer from a mosque in the wee hours of the morning, but then we were woken up to a real rooster outside our window and then to a duck call from andrea's phone. her alarm was a quacking duck. dont worry, i made fun of her for it. so these things made for exciting mornings. :) 2) i am so so thankful i have a God that 'bridged our gap'. i have a Lord who wants to be in relation with me so badly, that He paid a sacrifice to allow me to contact him ANYtime i want to. not just when a priest says i can. or when a call-to-prayer is announced. i mean no disrespect to any other religions, but i just became even more grateful to my own father and want to thank him for his blessings even more often!
praise God who talks to us and allows us to talk to him.
there was nothing in there for us, and nothing of remote interest.
however we were stuck. so we made the best of it. after a while, we got bored and decided to face the weather. we borrowed plastic sacks from the store and proceeded.
eh. we got soaked.
on our way home that evening, we took a long route which took us down a different street than normal. it was a busy and interesting street and as we walked by, everyone tried to get us to come into their shop or into their restaurant respectively. my favorite one tho was a man who owned a carpet shop saying to us as he was sitting outside his shop at a table already playing, 'come play batgammon! it's fun!' not then, but later on i was taught how to play this game and i think i got the basics--however i need to work on my strategy. if anyone wants to play with me back in the states, let me know!
we took an afternoon and went to a Turkish bath and that was interesting...we didnt exactly know what to do or what to expect. but turns out it's just what is says it is. a bath. you can bathe yourself (and we probably needed it) but then andrea and i also got 30 minute massages--now THAT was great.
the food in turkey was great. they have alot of fish and pasta. i dont think i had a dish that i didnt like...take a look at a couple:
ok a typical turkish toilet for WOMEN is a hole in the floor. well ok, it's a drain in porcelin. but it's in the floor. and, you see, women cannot use the restroom on the floor very easily... but thank goodness these are not in most 'tourist places' or restaurants or hotels. however once upon a time i needed to go to the restroom very very badly--and to my dismay the only bathroom i could find was of this sort. *gasp* i made do. i had no choice. it couldn't wait. but just know that these bathrooms, my Turkish friends, are NOT ok for women! :) moving right along...
we also went up the Galata tower one day to see the city of istanbul from up high and it was beautiful.
we went up to a different high place during the evening and saw the city at night. some photos:
ok, two more things and the istanbul with andrea trip will pretty much be summed up! 1) Andrea used her alarm on her phone to wake us up every morning. so not only did we get woken up by a call-to-prayer from a mosque in the wee hours of the morning, but then we were woken up to a real rooster outside our window and then to a duck call from andrea's phone. her alarm was a quacking duck. dont worry, i made fun of her for it. so these things made for exciting mornings. :) 2) i am so so thankful i have a God that 'bridged our gap'. i have a Lord who wants to be in relation with me so badly, that He paid a sacrifice to allow me to contact him ANYtime i want to. not just when a priest says i can. or when a call-to-prayer is announced. i mean no disrespect to any other religions, but i just became even more grateful to my own father and want to thank him for his blessings even more often!
praise God who talks to us and allows us to talk to him.
~ "Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living" ~
Comments
Post a Comment