The Bosporus and Beyond

Our last full day in Istanbul started early.  The local barber opens up shop at 7 am and I wanted to be first in line.  It's a challenge to communicate important information to people who do not speak the same language.  I tried very hard with lots of hand motions to explain that I just wanted a trim.  The barber nodded his head vigorously and smiled.  Then he took his electric clippers and cut a stubble-length swath across the top of my head.  He also pulled out a bic lighter and started waving the flame around my face and ears to burn off rogue hairs.  I'm not kidding!  When he finished everything in about four minutes, he started to lather me up for a shave.  No one has ever touched my face with a razor, let alone a long, straight, sharp one.  I said no repeatedly and yet somehow ended up receiving and paying for the full barber treatment.  Merchants tend to be very persistent here, and with their jovial nature and the ever-present communication gap, it's hard to turn them down.  I was glad to get back to the apartment for the big Turkish-style breakfast Leroy had prepared.

After descending the hill and crossing the bridge for the umpteenth time in five days, we wound through the crowded streets to the Grand Bazaar.  It is a huge, sprawling, ancient complex of arched passageways lined with venders.  Like the Spice Bazaar down near the waterfront, it has morphed over the years from a marketplace for locals into a massive tourist attraction selling expensive carpets and jewelry and souvenirs of every description.  After wandering around in circles for awhile, we headed outdoors and meandered through the streets of merchants geared to the local folks.  I bought a bunch of items for family members, and a couple shirts for myself, that will hopefully fit into my small backpack!

I've been looking forward to our cruise on the Bosporus.  The boat we took is really one of the ferries that transports Istanbulians from port to port.  Twice a day it is used for tourists wanting to view the magnicent waterway connnecting the Mediterranean with the Black Sea.  We spent two hours cruising by palaces and castles and the distinctive, historic wooden houses that line the isthmus separating Asia from Europe.  It was perfect boating weather - sunny and seventy-five degrees.

In the evening, we walked down Istiklal Avenue toward a restaurant that had been recommned to us for its authentic (and cheap) Turkish food.  Along the way, we saw a group of police officers equipped with bullet-proof shields.  A bit further, we heard chanting and soon saw a protest group coming our way bearing signs and torches.  We pressed ourselves against the nearby storefronts to get out of their way but also to get a good view.  Men and woman of all ages streamed past us.  Their signs indicated support for the Republican People's Party (CHP.)  We learned later that it was just one of many mostly peaceful protests that take place regularly.  After dinner, we caught up with the group again and they were singing and dancing in the street.

We're a bit sad to be leaving Istanbul.  It's a great city, and we've only scratched the surface of what we'd love to see and do here.  Cappadocia is calling, though, and we are very excited about what awaits us there!