Istanbul: Day 2

Benito had just finished writing his postcards and buying a Starbucks: "Istanbul" mug, walking out the door, when he was accosted by a man outside the coffee shop, putting perfume in his hand, and urging him to pay up! "Here you go", he said, "Just a little something that will surely gladden your day!" Peace! said Benito. But that was not all, no, for as soon as he had bought the perfume and cologne, then another man came up behind the first, and started putting yet more perfume in Benito's hands. Oh, dear. "My friend, where are you from? Please, buy some perfume!" How could Benito refuse his desperate plea?? So, he bought the perfume and put it in the bag along with the other ones. Then, yet a third man came up to Benito and said that money was short, so would he please consider buying some more perfume... so Benito obliged and that was that. He stopped to take out his last bit of money, which the perfume salesman had seen him put back into his wallet (20 Turkish lira), under a tree near the 'Golden Bull' and gave it to him. Then he went into the Vodaphone store nearby to work out his phone issues. The man did not speak English, but instead, after charging up his phone a little, pointed him in the right direction. Benito, however, headed back to his host's home for a bit of R&R.

There he found his host seated with a visitor, who was very Muslim indeed, but also very nice and they got into these conversations about popular celebrities in the USA. Michael Jackson, Ok? Elvis Presley, Ok? Britney Spears, Ok? And they then moved on to American actors and proceeded to go through a list of these as well. It was quite an amusing exercise for Benito and then they went on a beer run, but not before going to find Benito's phone store for to get a charger and visiting the 'callise' in Kadikoy, closed until Sunday, which is also the time when Benito had his encounter with the Jihadist's, but more on that later...

So they went across the very busy street at the 'Golden Bull', going in search of a phone store, going down several alleys before finally arriving there at the store where they named their price and Benito coughed it up. Then they made their way past the 'feribot' launch to another section of town, which included many of the shops and fresh fish markets. They parted ways at the 'callesee' and Benito proceeded to light his candles, like he had done at every other Orthodox church which he had visited in Serbia and Bulgaria. What a splendid affair? He lit two for his parents, Robert & Joyce, and then went on his way, asking a passerby about the 'Moda caddesi'. This was after consulting his guidebook, and deciding to visit the premiere bookshop in Kadikoy called the 'Green House Bookshop'. Unfortunately, as Benito would soon find out, this joint was now closed, rendering his 'Lonely Planet' guide outdate! sigh. Well, Benito would have his meat, and so he went in another bookshop to ask for directions, and stopping as well in a hippy/ Indian store to buy some Jasmine incense which cost 1 lira. Then he finally made it to Moda caddesi where a series of jazzy cars were passing through and there were grocery stores and fruit stands and all manner of stores in this shopping district, but he stopped at a kind of pharmacy for to score some meds. (His pill box had been left back in Europe, and he could not at the time find his stash of pills in his pocket, so this was a slight problem for him...) They looked it up on the computer and pronounced it to be too expensive, which is something which Benito had been afraid of. Oh, well, he would forgo the pills for the time being, and instead, went and bought a little pastry from the corner bakery. Then he got a delicious hotdog and settled into some excellent service before charging up his phone. They had been so gracious to receive what little money Benito had in his pocket, totaling some four and 1/2 lira and asked nicely if he would not enjoy some extra mustard and pickles and asked nicely again if he would not like to come and enjoy his hot dog inside the establishment. So, Benito obliged and the young man, who had also gotten him a coke per request here on El Moda Street, pulled out his chair for him and took his coat. Full service! Benito thought. Benito then pulled out his phone and sent off some last-minute messages before thanking his hosts and heading once again for the streets of Kadikoy!

This time he took a different route, buying some DVDs along the way and hooking up with an antique shop near the mosque where he set aside a camera and some Cyprus tea cups and letter openers and a pen to purchase at a later time. He would never come back.

Then he finally made it back, after observing some pubs and a few other antique shops selling furniture, to the main shopping strip at the 'Golden Bull' where he located the street back home. At his host's apartment, they were carousing and having a good 'ol time. Benito studies some Turkish, then proceeded to have another halting conversation in English with his host and the same Muslim guy again. They then took their beer run, listing names of American cities along the way! That was some kind of wonderful. Then they bought some Turkish beer and chocolate. Yeah!

The next day was Thursday and Benito and friends went out for some good 'ol fashioned fun in Karikoy, just across the way in Taksim. They met at the ferry and that was all well and good. Irem's mom, Idil, paid for the tickets and they were on their way, Murat in company, chatting away in Turkish as Benito observed the sights and sounds on the ferry ride, especially Hagia Sophia on the shoreline, Blue Mosque, and the little lighthouses on either side of the Bosphorus. When they got to the other side, Benito was in wonder at all the fine looking restaurants on the coast and wanted to shop at a street vendor for what looked like excellent donar kebab! Sorrry to say, it was not to be. They took their time crossing the street where there was a police car just minding its own business with a medical team in back. Hahahaa. Then it was on to Taksim square up a long and winding street that kind of reminded Benito of a darker San Francisco. It was quite the scene, selling tons of kebab. And there was this really old tower too, and Idil was like: "Why don't you take a picture?" But Benito had not a functioning camera, unfortunately, but took a picture nevertheless in his mind's eye. Then they waited for Idil's friend and that was that.

Together they walked down the main boulevard, eying chestnuts and bookstores as they went. It was a pleasant affair, walking. So, they continued along, making observations and talking Turkish. Something about something. The last dude selling chestnuts was like: "Yo, buy my chestnuts!" But Benito had to keep up, so he said, "Lata!" And ran along. That was all well and good, but then they turned the corner and soon enough they had nice views of the sea. Benito was leading the way at this point, but was held back by Idil, who said that he needed to take care when crossing the street, for the traffic does not pay attention to the rules! But instead, they did indeed cross the street and walked along until coming finally to a kind of nice place where people were sitting, drinking tea and smoking (everybody smokes in Turkey!), but in any event, it was a pleasant affair and they stopped to take some pictures and also received a call from Irem, who wanted to know how Benito was getting along. "Good", said Benito, "good." And that was that. After a long time or a short time, and after spilling his tea, Benito and friends went upstairs to dine.

It was a very nice view of the 'Golden Horn' from that top place and the sea gulls flew and landed on the roofs as the sounds from distant Imam's echoed across the city. This was Taksim! Idil ordered for Benito and all was well this Thursday evening. They had a good time, just taking their time. The Turks like to take their time. And that was all well and good in Benito's thinking. When the food came, it was quite the smallish portion, but sufficient in Benito's stomach. Together, they took turns at having a smoke, then they all went out together in the end, after mouthing different English words like 'su' and 'table'. Very interesting.

On the street once again, it was dark outside and they made their way up the stairs, back down the main boulevard. This time they went in some of the shops, including a clothing store, then continued along past a rather nice high-school, a callisee, and the Greek embassy. At this point, they went inside to check out the exhibit of Orthodox art in the churches. It was ... interesting. Benito wanted to check about a Greek visa, but that was not necessary for neither did he need one, nor was there any need for Benito did not end up going to Greece, but he had thought about it at the time! Well, that was all well and good, for then they continued along to a coffee shop where Benito encountered some nice Turkish people and some Chinese. How nice... Then there was another man on the street, who was also dangerous in Idil's eyes and that was all well and good, but they soon boarded a special kind of Turkish taxi. Across the Bosphorus they did go and Benito was amazed by the sight, such a long bridge (there are two of them!) all lit up. How the Turkish taxi managed the traffic Benito could not figure, but he soon recognized where they were, being the same place in Kadikoy where Benito had gone only that morning to worship in the mosque and where he had asked for directions back home. Where the cell phone shop was located where Benito had asked about his phone and a nice man had translated, saying that yes, indeed, it would be more than seventy lira to fix it, and Benito said 'No, thank you!' So that was all well and good. Then he had gone home and knew the way. Murat and Benito then stopped briefly at the store to pick up some things: Murat, some cigarettes and Benito, some gum. Then they were back and the streets looked all abandoned, but that was alright for Benito was in Istanbul!