Istanbul 1

It's the end of day one and I really like it here. There are so many things to get used to...traffic driving on the right side of the road (much harder than you'd think after a year on the other side), crossing the street without taking my life in my hands, being able to buy anything I want to, being largely left alone and cleanliness cleanliness cleanliness. It is a bit of a shock to go from third-world prices directly to European prices, without transiting through North American prices. It's nice to suddenly be able to buy anything I could possibly want or need, but unfortunately I can't afford any of it. And speaking of which, the shopping here is great but it's just so expensive - I hope nobody is expecting a carpet for Christmas. I did treat myself to some toiletries and am thrilled to have a new head for my toothbrush.

I'm not sure exactly why I'm feeling so happy here. Maybe I've been missing "civilisation", or maybe it's the proximity to so much water after spending so much time in a land-locked country, but whatever it is, it feels pretty good. My concerns about being in a Muslim environment were unfounded and I'm not at all uncomfortable here. Having said that, I have to admit that the male attention seemed to escalate over the course of the day, and if this continues I will probably end up being less enamoured with the place than I am now. So far it has been very manageable and I have been able to handle things in a polite and civilised way. I have to admit that the Turkish men are much smoother ın their approach than the Nepalis and Indians are! Still, men in general would have a lot more luck with me if they came up with an opening line other than "Where are you from?". I'm guessing that I've been asked that question in the neighbourhood of three thousand times in the last thirteen months and it's really not working for me anymore. In fact, it has the opposite effect and I just can't bring myself to engage in conversation with anyone who uses it. I did find that while spending time in the new part of the city I was largely ignored and I really enjoyed strolling around unimpeded there. Of course the old city is the place to be, and the attention is much more intense there due to the conglomeration of tourists.

My hostel is in the heart of the old city within a block of the Blue Mosque which I can see out my window. It's a great location but I may find the 6:00 call to prayer a bit irritating after a while. I was up early this morning due to jet lag so it wasn't a problem today, but I may come to hate it when my sleep pattern returns to normal. I didn't do any sight-seeing today, but spent the day walking around getting my bearings. Once I get my passport issues sorted out I'll spend some time visiting all the sites. Having said that, it's the kind of city where you can't help but see the sights whether you're looking or not.

I think that perhaps food will be my downfall here. Everything looks so appetizing and it's available absolutely everywhere. I think that I'll be eating about seven meals a day just so I can get to try everything. As if the restaurants weren't bad enough, the country seems to have a collective sweet tooth and there are bakeries and sweet shops everywhere. I almost made myself sick on baklava today and ended up with drippings from it all down the front of my shirt. I have decided it's not a good finger food and eating it while wandering down the street isn't advisable. I had to come home and change mid-afternoon to hide the evidence of my indulgence.

That's it for now - I'm still jet-lagged and trying to keep my eyes open until 9:00 PM. First thing tomorrow I'm off to the consulate and should get some idea about my chances of making this tour. Keep your fingers crossed for me.