This story has no happy ending
Trip Start
Dec 01, 2008
1
9
22
Trip End
Dec 31, 2008
remember how the old european side was a bit dirty and unappealing? the new asian side has more flare, and all the younger people. yesterday was spent walking another 10km around the tunel and taksim areas. things learned: cheap yavük doner (chicken on half-bread) probably isn't chicken, but rather pigeon or seagull. i stuck with the larger chains, they seemed more, cleaner.
today was my turkish experience. i had a turkish bath, complete with a guy with a serious mustache doing the deeds. i got to lie on a heated marble floor where hairy men have done the same for the past 300 years at the place i went to. hygenic for sure, but definitely fun. i'm not sure if my body's ever been cracked and twisted in that way before. but you definitely come out feeling cleaner and lighter on the feet, albeit i'm sore as hell.
here's another observation made today. remember those old spiral stencils where you'd put in a coloured pen and move it around and then it makes circle designs? people here sell sheets of those designs on the street. or maybe they sell the stencils.
an unfortunate occurence took place whereby i forgot my spare battery and remembered when i was too far away from my hostel to turn back. was hoping to visit 2 synagogues in the old part of the city but as my battery ran out about half way on the walk there, and the weather was gloomy and cool today, i turned back. if the weather's sunny tomorrow i'll try to head out to ortakoy for another trek insh'allah.
today was my turkish experience. i had a turkish bath, complete with a guy with a serious mustache doing the deeds. i got to lie on a heated marble floor where hairy men have done the same for the past 300 years at the place i went to. hygenic for sure, but definitely fun. i'm not sure if my body's ever been cracked and twisted in that way before. but you definitely come out feeling cleaner and lighter on the feet, albeit i'm sore as hell.
here's another observation made today. remember those old spiral stencils where you'd put in a coloured pen and move it around and then it makes circle designs? people here sell sheets of those designs on the street. or maybe they sell the stencils.
an unfortunate occurence took place whereby i forgot my spare battery and remembered when i was too far away from my hostel to turn back. was hoping to visit 2 synagogues in the old part of the city but as my battery ran out about half way on the walk there, and the weather was gloomy and cool today, i turned back. if the weather's sunny tomorrow i'll try to head out to ortakoy for another trek insh'allah.

Comments
dec.8th
Hi Daniel- curious why you titled the page 'this story has no happy ending' or something like that.
I'm hoping everything is going well. I'm enjoying reading about your trip. Weather here is -20.
i'm also curious...
yes daniel, i'm curious too... WHY doesn't this story have a happy ending? ;)