(no subject)
Hello everyone,
I'm in a quite nonsketchy Internet cafe in the heart of Sultanahmet square in Old 'Istanbul', aka Constantinople. Local dialects are so silly!
Most things are closed today, and it's my last day so I've checked out of my hotel, and I've seen everything within walking distance and am really really low on cash since my debit card got eaten like 3 seconds after I landed in Asia. Luckily I still have about 100 lbs for the rest of my tour. Except most banks don't take ScotBux, the pounds printed by the Scottish bans which are their own mints.. it was bloody hell converting them in the first place and ultimately involved finding real British people and trading with them (since the Scot pounds are the same as UK pounds but are rare outside of.. Scotland). So I have about 20 lira for the rest of the day. Luckily this cafe is like wicked cheap, yo.
Anyway the point is I am too poor and too tired of lugging around.. luggage to do anything so I'm killing time here and updating LJ until my flight to Cairo at 11 PM. YES THAT'S CAIRO IN EGYPT.. also a part of the Byzantine domain. Although twice as long gone.
The call to prayer just ended. It is quite pretty.
I'm scared about Egypt since it's, like, NOT secularized. And since I have virtually no money if they don't take the ScotBux!! Luckily I have a credit card but that is only good for some things.
Highlights of Constantinople:
The Mirror of Heaven on Earth, Hagia Sophia
The Basilica Cistern (Sunken Palace)... Moria, but REAL.
Suleimaniye Mosque (OMG), err.. (OMA)*
That Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) are DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER.. I look left, there is Justinian's darling girl. To the right, Ahmet's wife.
The Beard Hairs of the Prophet.. the Ottomans have lots of relics but these are the most sacred.
The Gate of Felicity.. mostly because of the name
Islamic chanting.. the call to prayers etc.
Japanese tourists being about as sensitive as Mr Siskind led me to believe, and just as camera-happy
Lowlights of 'Istanbul':
No Greeks
No Byzantine Palaces survive
Didn't have time to get to Byzantine mosaic museum
Galata Tower: lame and expensive
Carpet sellers... aaaaaaargh
My hotel: no hot water (hence no shower.. I'm not suicidal). No flushing toilet. Sketchy area. Yucks.
The first day: got in having slept one hour in the last 48, then did not eat for about 24 hours. Mostly out of forgetfullness since I was too tired to remember to be hungry!
Not being able to take not-blurry photos for the first two days (see no sleep and no food)
Having to delete like 100 photos a night. Gotta save some for the OMG PYRAMIDS!!!.
Turkish food tastes like spew. Except their tea which is incredible. I'm trying to bring some back but between Egyptian, Czechan, UK, and American customs I think I can say 'fat chance'.
24 hours from now I shall be introducing myself to Tuthankhamen. Alternatively, frantically trying to find someplace that can accept ScotBux. Daaaang. Or more likely, sleeping or taking a four hour long shower since I haven't had one in FIVE DAYS.
Only 7 more hours before I need to be at the airport.. biff biff biff. I guess I'll go take another hundred pictures of Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque looking at each other.
I'm looking forward to being in a place where more than just merchants speak English. Luckily, Andrew speaks English and is in Prague. Saturday..
Man I need to do laundry.
I spent one whole day doing these activities: 1. Seeing Topkapi palace (pretty cool, took all morning), 2. trying to find someplace to buy a pen! (not so cool, took even longer) Yaaaargh. I brought 2 with me but they apparently disappeared.
OK, I guess I should find something to do! Sorry for the long and boring.
I'm in a quite nonsketchy Internet cafe in the heart of Sultanahmet square in Old 'Istanbul', aka Constantinople. Local dialects are so silly!
Most things are closed today, and it's my last day so I've checked out of my hotel, and I've seen everything within walking distance and am really really low on cash since my debit card got eaten like 3 seconds after I landed in Asia. Luckily I still have about 100 lbs for the rest of my tour. Except most banks don't take ScotBux, the pounds printed by the Scottish bans which are their own mints.. it was bloody hell converting them in the first place and ultimately involved finding real British people and trading with them (since the Scot pounds are the same as UK pounds but are rare outside of.. Scotland). So I have about 20 lira for the rest of the day. Luckily this cafe is like wicked cheap, yo.
Anyway the point is I am too poor and too tired of lugging around.. luggage to do anything so I'm killing time here and updating LJ until my flight to Cairo at 11 PM. YES THAT'S CAIRO IN EGYPT.. also a part of the Byzantine domain. Although twice as long gone.
The call to prayer just ended. It is quite pretty.
I'm scared about Egypt since it's, like, NOT secularized. And since I have virtually no money if they don't take the ScotBux!! Luckily I have a credit card but that is only good for some things.
Highlights of Constantinople:
The Mirror of Heaven on Earth, Hagia Sophia
The Basilica Cistern (Sunken Palace)... Moria, but REAL.
Suleimaniye Mosque (OMG), err.. (OMA)*
That Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) are DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER.. I look left, there is Justinian's darling girl. To the right, Ahmet's wife.
The Beard Hairs of the Prophet.. the Ottomans have lots of relics but these are the most sacred.
The Gate of Felicity.. mostly because of the name
Islamic chanting.. the call to prayers etc.
Japanese tourists being about as sensitive as Mr Siskind led me to believe, and just as camera-happy
Lowlights of 'Istanbul':
No Greeks
No Byzantine Palaces survive
Didn't have time to get to Byzantine mosaic museum
Galata Tower: lame and expensive
Carpet sellers... aaaaaaargh
My hotel: no hot water (hence no shower.. I'm not suicidal). No flushing toilet. Sketchy area. Yucks.
The first day: got in having slept one hour in the last 48, then did not eat for about 24 hours. Mostly out of forgetfullness since I was too tired to remember to be hungry!
Not being able to take not-blurry photos for the first two days (see no sleep and no food)
Having to delete like 100 photos a night. Gotta save some for the OMG PYRAMIDS!!!.
Turkish food tastes like spew. Except their tea which is incredible. I'm trying to bring some back but between Egyptian, Czechan, UK, and American customs I think I can say 'fat chance'.
24 hours from now I shall be introducing myself to Tuthankhamen. Alternatively, frantically trying to find someplace that can accept ScotBux. Daaaang. Or more likely, sleeping or taking a four hour long shower since I haven't had one in FIVE DAYS.
Only 7 more hours before I need to be at the airport.. biff biff biff. I guess I'll go take another hundred pictures of Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque looking at each other.
I'm looking forward to being in a place where more than just merchants speak English. Luckily, Andrew speaks English and is in Prague. Saturday..
Man I need to do laundry.
I spent one whole day doing these activities: 1. Seeing Topkapi palace (pretty cool, took all morning), 2. trying to find someplace to buy a pen! (not so cool, took even longer) Yaaaargh. I brought 2 with me but they apparently disappeared.
OK, I guess I should find something to do! Sorry for the long and boring.