That city...
It is old, complex, has grown over hundreds of years and still does, this metropolis with millions of people... no wonder you will run into a couple of persons that you will find very interesting. This place is loved and hated by all the people that know it, often hate and love seem to keep the balance. I guess in any case this town makes deep impressions on the people that come in contact with it and does not leave room for moderate or mediocre emotions, this place asks for extremes.
After more than 30 days in this town I find myself baffled. I met many amazing characters, with some of them I could explore new grounds of thoughts and different ways of living.
Before cristmas Laurens, Silvain and me managed to escape the crazy city and cycled to the black sea. At last I got the occasion to say hello to that great water. Not that it would care much, but I did.
We went to Andolu Feneri, a fisher village and camped nearby. We spent time cooking and sitting around the fire, enjoying the silence, the view on the black sea and later the sight of the many stars in the sky. We took turns in getting lucky seeing a shooting star. The next day we went for a late fish breakfast at the harbor. It was just delicious.
I had also to move a couple of times to find a bed. Over new year many hostels were booked out, Neverland included. So I could stay at Laurenses place for a night and later in the appartement Silvain shared with a couple of friends.
Silvester turned out to be great. We avoided Istiklal Street, the main road of the Taksim neigborhood and went from house party to house party.
I passed one of my best Christmas-new year periods since a long time.
In the mean time I'm back at Neverland. Many of the cyclists continued their journey, leaving me the only cyclist left at the hostel.
I'm getting impatient myself now. I managed to learn a bit of Turkish in a language tandem (trading German lessos). I stocked up quite a bit of equipement too. A inlet for the sleeping bag, a leather vest and spare parts. Although only one of the packets I ordered from Germany did arrive yet. It is quite a tedious task to find out whether they will arrive at all.
Dağlı, a guy from the hostel gave me a lot of tips how to tackle Turkey. It was almost as he was planing his own next trip. Gratitude.
I'm good to go...
click on pictures to open the albums
