I have recently returned from the great city of Istanbul. It was a really great trip, I'll tell you a little bit about it. Unfortunately I am bad about carrying by camera around with me because it is a piece, so I don't have any original photos. I'll post some others here sometime later.
We started out in Thessaloniki for a few hours. The original plan was a "tour de force" of some American restaurants like Applebees, TGI Fridays, and Ruby Tuesdays, but we couldn't find them and ended up going somewhere that was probably better. From Thessaloniki we took the overnight train into Istanbul, getting there around 11ish. I was able, though, to visit a few Starbucks in Thessaloniki as well as in Istanbul. I think that this is a sign of a developed country, when Starbucks shows up.
There is a lot to see in Istanbul, being there for only a few days was not enough and I think that I'd like to go back someday to see the rest. I also want to visit the rest of Turkey, along the coast and further East. I have a feeling that Istanbul isn't much like the rest of Turkey... the culture may be a little more convoluted with the tourists and western influence.
I got to see the Blue Mosque and the Hayga Sophia... two things that you have to see in Istanbul. The Hagya Sophia was an old Byzantine church that was turned into a mosque after the Ottomans or someone took the city over. It is huge and has one of the largest domes in the world. It is full of old mosaics, both Christian and Muslim, making for a really interesting mix. I was a little surprised, however, I thought that they would be in better condition and the place overall in a little better condition. Most of the mosaics have not been restored and it seems like there is a lot of work to be done at this point. When we were there the dome was full of scaffolding, so maybe they are doing something there. The Blue Mosque was built later and seems even bigger. The Mosaic work throughout the inside of the building is very detailed and intricate. It is a really beautiful place.
We also visited the enormous grand bazaar and the spice bazaar, two cool things that turn into tourist traps. They are really big. I bought some tandoori marsala. I am not really sure what to do with it though.
We also visited a few other random mosques, all very cool. There are a lot of big mosques. From the Taximi area, one can look towards the skyline on the other side and it is really cool how many marinates there are. The Taximi area is on the other side of the bridge from where we stayed and is more of a locals place. I think that it is the trendy place to live, filled with little shops and great bars and restaurants. I think that next time I would like to stay over on that side.
After I arrived back in Albania I stayed in Korca for a few days. I then had to go to Pogradec to attend the Group 10 language refresher for a committee meeting. I haven't been home for some time and I am really ready to get there and sleep in my own bed... I'll be getting on the bus for Kucove in about an hour in a half and then three hours after that I will be home I hope.