Yes, I am still here. Istanbul is a wild city, and though lonely planet describes the streets in winter as "completely dead," I would strongly disagree. Everywhere you go here, the streets are busy with people, especially with the end of the snow storm. YES, it was snowing. YES, it was cold, and YES, my roommate Evie and I went to a Turkish bath, known as a hamam.
Finally, I was able to upload some photos, very slowly though so I've only included a select few which seem to represent my time thus far.
-our first night in Istabul, in the depths of second home hostel basement. we were lucky enough to be able to leave our big bags here while we traveled south
-SOUTH! we arrived in Antalya to warmth and sunshine
-our first couchsurfing experience, notice the heater....they are everywhere here
Perge, a beautifully preserved roman city
our hosts and another couchsurfer
Olympos, and our first swim in the mediterranean. There were absolutely no people here, except for the dolmuş driver (a dolmuş is small bus-ish type thing that will take you pretty much anywhere for a small fee)
A forcibly abandoned greek town, which has remained empty since first world war.
Near the city of Fethiye
after our hike over the mountains to the beach of ulendeniz
we had brought zero food on our 6km hike and the only thing available to us at the beach were
overpriced, zero taste french fries. It was kind of funny.
One of my best friends from home has now arrived and we are currently plotting our departure from Istanbul. We are staying in a restoration architect's, rad apartment with a gorgeous view of the city. I have been religiously plodding through the food markets near the place, eating fresh bread, cheese, vegetables, wrapped rice grape leaves and BAKLAVA!!!. It has been a lot of fun bargaining when I can, and the more I visit the same shops, the better deals I seem to get. I've been trying to use Turkish when I can, but it makes it difficult with a five word vocabulary.
Inevitably, it seems in Turkey, I have taken up second hand smoking.
more, later
Larissa
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