Everyday life in Istanbul

We are finally getting settled here in Istanbul!

Our day consists of waking up, showering in the middle of the bathroom, eating pastries filled wıth who-knows-what (bean spread?Almond Spread? Mince Meat kınd of stuff), lots of reading, walking around, comıng home to eat left-over take-out of who-knows-what or pasta wıth who-knows-what vegetables, more reading and looking out the wimdow at the never boring lives of stray cats and dogs, and to bed by 10, only to be woken up at 6.30 the next morning by the ´Call to Prayer´ sung (beautıfully or abysmally, depending on what part of the apartment you are in, and what mosque you hear it coming from) through a loudspeaker.

Everyone shouts and honks a lot here, and lurks in doorways of tıny shops, so it is a little sketchy at first, but when you realize that the men lurking about are actually just visiting their friends who own the shop, and the honks are merely to warn other drivers who may be coming around a sharp corner that you too are coming around that corner, nothing seems too scary. I even recognized a word that someone in a shop said to me yesterday!! Merhaba is Hello, but most people say something else. The older generation was taught French in school, so many people understand ´merçi´ (ıf they went to school).

I wish that everyone I knew was here because it´s just so cool and indescrıbable. Also, Will´s company is usually nose-first in a book! Next week we are going exploring across the Golden Horn!! More news later! Peace.