Arrived in İstanbul early this morning on a night train. Still loving the transportation and sleeping accommodations (though an upright chair isn't the best bed...)
Found a hostel for a little more than I wanted to pay, but I get this free internet, so life is still good.
I spent quite a while this morning updating the blog, then went to say hi to the Blue Mosque. Afterward, I needed to make my way to Beşiktaş to try to meet a friend from Cappadocia at the Dolmabahçe Palace. In the guidebook, it mentioned that there was a route from Eminönü (a pretty close ferry doc) to Ortaköy (on the Asian side) and a route from Ortaköy to Beşiktaş. So I decided to pop over to Asia for lunch.
It was a bustling shopping district, and I found a lokantası, or cafeteria-type restaurant, to eat at. The good thing is that they are much classier than cafeterias, with bread on the table and tableclothes and stuff. So I went up to the display part with my waiter (since I couldn't understand anything on the menu) and got some eggplant, mutton, and cheese dish and a green salad. Set me back $10, but it kept me going for quite a while.
So I took the ferry from Ortaköy to Beşiktaş, and walked to Dolmabahçe Palace. Where I waited. And napped. And never did meet up with my friend (he was stuck in traffic, as I learned later.)
The palace was elaborate, and huge. We saw only half in our one-hour guided tour, and I probably saw another quarter by myself. It was commissioned in 1854 and finished in 13 years. During that period, the oil and pastel paintings were being done by the Europeans, so most of the artwork was from Europe. The whole palace was very European, with 'elements of Roccoco, Baroque, and Neo-Classical' (as the guide said) mixed in with a bit of Turkish flavor.
It's layout was very Turkish. The 'harem', or family chambers, were separated by guards from the public spaces. Just like at the Topkapı Palace, the queen-mother's apartment was between the sultan's and his wives' and concubines'. Always the mother with control...
As I was walking out from the gardens (after some dondurma, of course), and all of a sudden, a guy starts talking to me in frantic English. He is Yugoslavian (I think) but loves İstanbul ('İstanbul, I love you'). He has gotten offers from around the world to dance, but had a day off today. And apparently thought I had 'charisma' (one of his favorite English words to throw around... that and 'big boys', meaning people with lots of power or money).
He entices me with talk of a beach, and I follow. Pretty soon, I'm on his arm... then holding his hand... but he assures me, 'Friends! No I love you. No husband.'
We end up at Ortaköy, a little preppy section of İstanbul, and he leds me around for a bit, then insisting on taking a picture. At this point, I've resolved to dump the guy at the first chance, and when he starts walking again, I say no and stay.
(He went on this rant that had 'bayan' in it a lot. Bayan means women, so I think he was cursing my whole gender... at least he left after that.)
So, I wander, shop, get a waffle loaded with chocolate and friuts, then slowly attempt to get back to the hostel. The roads were so crowded that I walked to the first ferry dock, then hopped on a boat for 'Kadaköy.'
I read it as Karaköy. Well, I ended up at Kadaköy, wherever that is. When I got there, and couldn't find the light rail, I hopped on another ferry to Eminünö, which I did read correctly. So eventually I got back to the hostel safe and sound... with only one other Turkish guy deciding that my 'heels were nice' and plucking at my jean cuffs as I went up some stairs.
I love you, foreign men, but I'm excited to not have to deal with you... back to America tomorrow!
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