3.45 days left
my time has almost run out here in istanbul... i am sad, i am
happy, i am full of every possible emotion you could imagine.
it's saturday. i am in taksim. next saturday, i will be in the
bay area, in california. that is surreal and yet, strangely
comforting to me at the current moment.
i don't know what to write anymore, really. i'm just sad. i'm
sure i will feel differently once i am in california, but for now
the sadness of this city and of my leaving it has overwhelmed
me.
ufffffffffffffffff but you know? i will go eat iskender kebap
and hope that i can find a tasty equivalent in san francisco....
wine on the orient express
well... yesterday i wandered the streets of beyoglu searching
for the world-famous
pera palas hotel. it was grey and rain
was pouring down when i finally turned a corner and saw the
hotel -- it was as i had imagined it: art deco, faded beauty.
agatha christie is said to have written a large part of "murder on
the orient express" there and guests such as ataturk, jackie o.,
the mati hari, and so on, have all stayed there.
i decided to have a glass of wine at the bar, next to the window.
it was the most expensive glass of wine i've had in istanbul (it
was like a thimble for 13 YTL!) but i enjoyed it... the rain was
pouring outside and i soaked in the atmosphere of the hotel. i
don't think they have renovated it because there were funny
little details near my table.... such as the call buttons on the
wall (faded and barely legible) that read: "garcon" and "groom."
(groom??) while i was sitting there, two people in the ballroom adjacent
to the bar started practicing a haunting flute/piano duet. it
was a great way to end my visit to the pera palas!
today i will visit the brand new
pera museum (up the street from the
pera palas) and see the famous
"Kaplumbağa Terbiyecisi" painting.
(aka.... "The Turtle Charmer")
only 7 days left in istanbul and i still
have a lot to see and do.
ramazan starts tonight, too. i wish i
was fasting, in a way, because i really
admire the reasons behind ramazan. but...
seeing as i am leaving/changing time
zones/then going to mexico (tacos! tequila!).
so the concept of ME fasting... um.... isn't
going to happen. but i love it -- i am so glad i
am here to witness part of ramazan again.
