Istanbul 4
Trip Start
Nov 14, 2008
1
58
102
Trip End
Feb 26, 2009
Istanbul,
Turkey
Sunday, January 11, 2009
There's a famous synagogue in Istanbul called Sisli Synagogue, which had a write up in the Jewish News a few weeks ago. I got there at about midday because the locals kept giving me conflicting directions. When I got there, the entire street was blocked by security barriers, as a few years ago it had been bombed by Al Qaeda. Even though the police were ready to let me in, and the Rabbi I called yesterday said I could go, the shule security refused to let me inside.
Grand Bazaar
This has over 4000 shops! I was pretty tired and pissed off about not going to the shule (and getting a free lunch after), so I only spent half an hour here - buying a beanie for 8 Lira to replace the one I just lost, and a Turkish miniature shoe to add to my grandmother's miniature shoe collection.
Afterwards I got a haircut at a traditional barber, who also gave me one of those old-school shaves with a butter knife. An interesting experience, and a great result.
Start of the Magic Carpet Tour
I met my new roommate James, from New Zealand, who is also 22. We went out for dinner to a kebab restaurant at an affordable price, after my kebab lunch as well. There are 22 people in our 10-day tour, but only 8 were there tonight for the check-in. Our tour guide is a Turkish guy named Gockan who seems a little nervous but nice, he'd be about 10 years older than me. After dinner, James and I watched a bit of TV ("The Story of Maths" on BBC World, and The Sopranos), rather than going out, as we have a massive day tomorrow, at 5 of Istanbul's major sights.
