Wow what an experience -Istanbul extremes

Istanbul.

Arriving in Istanbul is a unique experience. There are so many contrasts and extremes. In the street where our apartment is on one end a group of children who you would think should be at school. They play on the cobbled road with a ball, a pack of cards sitting on the small narrow pavement or just themselves . A mother appears to supervise from a balcony window and yells at them periodically. From this same window several floors up a basket on a rope is lowered down when the local bread man visits the street. Money is placed in the basket, lowered and exchanged for bread. Cats roam all over the street and the city. They are tolerated by everyone, sleeping on rugs or in shops and fed at times - Thrown scraps of meat from the kebab spit. Kittens feeding under cars on busy narrow streets and cat biscuits left out on a piece of newspaper.

In the same street you have a local wood craftsman in a small shop surrounded by wood shavings and fret work , what appears to be a sign writing shop or a shop that makes neon signs , an up market dress shop that looks like it should be in Newmarket where they sit outside chat and sup wine , residents rubbish piled up in an empty space waiting to be collected( goodness knows how up these narrow streets and when! ) , graffiti walls and up market apartments to derelict building and what appears to be substandard living.

Men men and more men everywhere! I don’t know where all the woman are but there are men in the shops, men sitting outside the shops or supping tea in men only tea houses playing backgammon .It can be rather intimidating at times but they all seem polite friendly and not over familiar. Muslim woman either in full berka or a modern version with colourful scarf, tight over coat ( trench style) , jeans underneath and high shoes to everything in between .

The language barrier is just that at times ...a barrier! We revert to signing, charades and alot of pointing and smiling. Saying please , thank you and yes and no is even difficult .Phonetics ...not!

Its a cultural overload at times, speaking for me ( Pauline) but all part of the experience and as the days go by I feel more comfortable with the differences and unfamiliarity . There are people for miles and miles, personal space redefined and standard of living so different to NZ. Staying on the European side ( old Istanbul) apparently the Asian side is newer, more supmarket and you can fluch the toliet paper down the toilet -luxuary

Having the notebook and Wi Fi is a lifeline . When good god Mark doesn’t know there’s good god Google! We had to buy some medication and managed to buy what we need a prescription for in NZ over the counter for a few lira. Same drug, different name . Lots of fun explaining this to an non English speaking pharmacist .

11 June ( Alex’s birthday ..happy birthday Alley Oop!)