Turkey

Istanbul

November 8-11 2007

The Blue Mosque is amazing at night and during the day!!

Day 1

Travis, Victoria and I caught the 8:44 bus to Stuttgart airport. Our flight, living at 11:00, was on time and arrived in Istanbul, after a quick layover in Zurich, at about 4:20pm. When we arrived, there was a man holding a sign with my name on it from the Antique Hostel***. We had pre-requested a pickup service, since it would be easier and saver, and since we really didn't know the city. The ride to our hostel took about 35mins, and it was nice to see some of the city by car first. We checked into our hostel, put our stuff down then decided to go out find food and explore the area close to our hostel! We found this restaurant, that looked nice, and sat down. We were the only customers in the restaurant. We decided to split some courses, but the restaurant was bogus!! The pictures where nothing like what was served, and we shared a shrimp platter that had maybe 5 shrimp on it! Then we had stewed fish, which was actually good. They kept bringing us bread and we thought we had to pay for it so we kept refusing it!! All in all it was a terrible first experience, we paid quickly and left!

Day 2
We woke up around 9:00am ate breakfast, got dressed, and then headed out for the day. We went into the Blue Mosque, and had to take off our shoes and cover our heads. It was interesting inside, but other people were rude, because they didn't have their heads covered! Jerks. Anyway we headed over to the Hogia sophia, then further to the Topkapi Place but we didn't go inside either! We just walked and hit up: the Grand Bazaar, Nuruosmaniye Mosque, Yeni Mosque and later the Spice market! We had our first Turkish doner, it was okay but, I have had better in Germany!! After our doner, we headed to the Asian side. To a town called Uskudar. We got off the ferry and started to walk without a map or any idea where we were going. We found a Domino's (pizza place from the states) and I bought Cinna Sticks, while Travis and Victoria waited on a bench for me. After we ate we walked down to get an umbrella for Travis, that's when he realized that he didn't have his wallet. He had set it between them on the bench! Dumbass! Anyway, we start running back to get it and Travis pulls ahead panic stricken! He makes it to the bench and there is a couple sitter there, they look at him and say "lose your wallet?" Thank goodness they were sitting there and not someone else or that wallet would have been gone!! Needless to say, we weren't that fond of the Asian side after that! So we left and went to the hostel, then ate a pizza joint that was excellent!



Day 3
Today was a short day for me! I had been sick for the past week, and the cold and rain didn't make it any better. So we ate breakfast as usual, then got dressed, and headed out to the Topkapi Place. We spent about 2 hours there, and that's when I decided to head back and relax in the hostel. So we separated, and I bought some cooked corn and ate it on the way back!! I have had better! I watched some movies, and talked to random people at the hostel. Then Travis and Victoria come back and we played cards. Then we went and had pizza at our favorite spot!! When we came back we met another American and started talking the him, and then watched the Bourne Ultimatum, then hit the sack.



Day 4
Today was an interesting day. It started off nice, we woke up, at breakfast checked out, and then I was forced to give the hostel a review right then and there! But it was an decent hostel, so I didn't really care. We watched some TV, wrote in journals, read, and played cards. Then we went out for a little walk. We bought some gifts for ourselves and our family!! Then we went back to the hostel caught our ride to the airport at like 2:50, and arrived at the airport just before 3:30. We had to go through security before entering the airport, which was crazy!! Then we got the Swiss Intl. Airlines counter, they were rude right from the beginning. They made us check our baggage, "because the plane was packed" but we didn't have to check them coming to Turkey. Then we get on the plane and they were running 30 minutes late, which made us miss our connection in Zurich. Not only did we miss our connection in Zurich but we missed the bus and last train to Reutlingen. When we tried to explain this to Swiss air, they basically told us that there was nothing they could do so we might as well walk!! BASTARDS. Our flight didn't leave until 10:40 so we had to wait for 3 hours. When we finally arrived in Stuttgart, and guess what they lost my luggage! How convent, they made me check it after I refused 3 times to, then they lost it. Jackasses!! Anyway our friend Roger was nice enough to drive the 40 mins there and back to come and pick us up. Thank goodness to, because otherwise we would have had to pay 60 dollars for a taxi. Anyway we got home around 12:15. how annoying! Let's just say that I'm filing a large complaint!!



Turkey was a 3. It was cleaner, and safer than you would think, but I would never live there!!