Sat 14/03/09 01:07
It’s 745 in the morning and I’ve already had my first cup of coffee. In a little bit I’ll be heading out the door for another day of just wandering around the city. Today though, I don’t really know where I’m going to go. I’ve seen the things that I feel I had to see so everything else is just a plus. Maybe today I’ll check out some of the bookstores. There are so many here and except for a small one in the market, I haven’t gone into them.
Istanbul is so huge, and there is so much to see that I don’t think I can not have a good time today. My flight leaves at 740 tonight, so I have to leave the hostel at about 430. That gives me about 8 hours to wander. That seems like more than enough time since my legs start to wear out after about 6 hours of walking. Speaking of walking, I haven’t really been spending time monitoring how much I’m walking but the times I have checked it’s been around 15 to 20 miles a day. Every night, or late afternoon when I get back to the hostel I’m so sore that I can barely walk. And each morning when I wake up, I’m fine and ready to do it all again.
Another random thought— I was told that some, about half, the people that I’d meet here would be rude, the other half very nice. So far I’ve been lucky in that I’ve met only really nice people. I think it has something to do with my awe of cultures that I don’t usually get treated very rudely… except that is in Russia. Russians for all their beautiful women, just are mean. Here in Istanbul the people that I’ve met seem to have gone out of their way to be kind.
I’m still here in Istanbul so maybe the next comment is being swayed by that fact, but I think I can say with confidence that this city is one of, if not the best city I’ve been to. The architecture, history, and culture are so interesting that I don’t think I’ve ever been to any place that compares. Like I said I’m here right now, and given time it may drop down a little in it’s standings, but damn, what a city. :)
Okay, it’s after 8 now and it’s time that I start to head out before too long.
