After queing up for 20 minutes I am sent to get a transit visa for $20 for my overnight stay in Istanbul
The tourist information guy helpful and I mangage to leave my bigger pack at the left luggage till tomorrow night when I am due to fly out to Osaka, this will save me dragging it around with me, but I have to return to it befor I leave the airport to get my jacket out and later I wished I had wooly hat and scarf out too as it is cold here, I have gone from 25 degrees C to about zero in one day
The metro trip to Akasaray in Istanbul centre is about 40 min and not 20, for 1,5 TLR or $1
I ask around for a hoste and I am directed to the Hospital, could get a bed there I guess but dont fancy it just yet!
As I walk around I am tempted by the sight of Tulumbas (bamiye) being freshly made at a sweet shop, mistake ofcourse, tastes nothing like it should, they are suggy and drip with syrup and I need two cups of tea to wash them down
The second hotel I get to I ask to see the room and am really taken back when the guy says Bakhmack Yokh, (no seeing the room) when I question him he says there is bed, toilet, television and washroom, I am speechless with his approach, the last thing I expected, the man has serious balls, I take the room without looking at it! I have lessons to learn here, some of which I have noted before but unfortunately I forget at imprtant times, the room is fairly clean and bed appears comfortable, I change socks, wash a pair, strap my left ankle which is playing up and set off out
after a while I return (having had a glass of Pomegranite juice which due to being over squeezed is slightly bitter from the taste of the pith) to close the window, get another Tshirt on, when I flush the loo water gushes out of the back of the loo! not good, I call the reception guy with big balls, who is going round spraying the rooms with air freshener and he plays around with various hoses which are the supposed plumbing system of the establishment (I suddenly am grateful for all the vaccinations I have endured)
The toilet is practically under the shower unit which is itself next to the wash basin, rather econimic use of space I would say
I find a kebab shop where some locals are eating, first place I have also seen where a head covered female is behind the counter,,,, the first bite of shish donner makes up for the inconvenience so far, best I have tasted in about 30 years! followed by a complimentary cup of tea and a reasonable bill or 6TLR
I go round and round the metro system until I manage to get on the tram which I could have caught from my own stop in the first place, and do a nice little night tour of Istanbul (well not all of it) lots of nich building which need photographing but by now I feel tired, cold and dont fancy jumping on and off the tram
I find a very large internet cafe which although slightly more expensive than some I have seen, is nice and warm, clean and has chai being served whenever you want it and decide to catch up with some logging, I still have lots to write even some about Egypt which I will try to do when I get tired of walking around, tomorrow night about 23,35 I have a 11 hour flight to Osaka, this is going to be the longest flight ever for me
Still havent found a place to have a shishe yet and some guys are smoking cigarettes here which is not very sociable
Somehow hadnt expected to see taxi and flight offers here for Iran
Istanbul appears fair bit more expensive than Africa so far, and like Egypt (where sometimes it sounded as if all the mosques were calling out to prayer simultaneously) I am begining to realise the prayer mentality ,,, if you visit any of these countries specially as a tourist you need all the prayer you can get!
Turkey