Back in Istanbul After a Seven Day Raid on Greece, Part I

Some people decided to go to London, others wanted to go to Egypt, and still others wanted to go to India. I forgot that I wanted and previously mused about going to Greece. After a bit of research, however, Greece was back on the menu. I'm not sure who planned it or how it really came about, but I was headed the next day to the train station to catch the night train from Istanbul to the city of Thessaloniki. The ride was 12 hours from Istanbul heading west and another 7 hours south to Athens. The times given are for rail travel, but let it be said that all trains are not created equal - some are better, some are worse, and some are far worse.

Although there are two trains a day and nobody to ride from Istanbul to Thessaloniki purchasing tickets was a greater ordeal than expected. Our first attempt in getting information and tickets ended in failure when we were unable to acquire even a glance from the workers in the office. They huddled around a desk drinking tea in the dark as if we couldn't see them. Must be tea time? Or maybe some damn union. We went for lunch.

The second attempt was more fruitful, they gave us some attention and our tickets were being processed. What a process it was! After 10 minutes and just as many stamps, staples, and pieces of carbon paper one ticket was slid through the opening. No computers here folks, but anyhow, I left holding my one way tickets in hand. Yes, one ticket was comprised of four pieces of paper in two stapled packets. We later surmised that one packet was a ticket to the boarder, and the other packet got us the rest of the way there. Who knows if we were right or not but it seems like a logical explanation.

For most of us traveling by train was a first, I had taken a train to New Orleans from Birmingham before... so that of course makes me an expert in the field of locomotive traversal of the Earth's crust. Never been in a sleeper car though.

Stepping aboard the musty smell of worn metal and oil was instant and saturating. It reminded me of my tour on the USS Alabama stationed in Mobile - it's a museum now, so I mean tour when I say tour. This was an WWII era battleship that fought bravely in the Pacific and is now permanently moored to a dock in Mobile, Alabama. The train looked as if it shared much of the same story; old and full of character, I just hoped it was more rail-worthy than the USS Alabama was sea-worthy.

We snuggled into our respective cabins, I was rooming with chis and somehow our cabin was larger than the two on either side. So naturally ours was the hangout spot. As the train sounded its whistle and lurched forward a chill of nervousness and excitement came over me. The nervousness was from the fact that nothing is for certain in a new experience in a new country, and the excitement from the certainty that this will be a new experience in a new country.

The five of us - Cameron, Chris, Daniel, and Jamie - hadn't seen Walker and Sarah since the ride began. We sat in our car and passed the time, hoping to stay up for customs so that our sleep is not disturbed. Luckily for me some of our heads were in the right place while preparing for the trip; we had two bottles of wine and an assortment of liquor minis from the mini bar on the train. I, however, got a large tea and a snack before the train left and did not even think of grabbing a bottle of wine - foolish! That is why we are a team though, to pick up slack when others slack. I know that on the ride back we will be more prepared. Bedtime, back to your cabins! The weather is chilly and wet and I know this because the cabin is hot and the window is down. The rhythmic beat of the train rolling down the tracks is almost soothing if it weren't broken by horrible SCREEEEEECHs and the vulgar stench of sewage seeping out of the WC at the front of the car. I think it better to minimize the opening to a crack.

It's nearly midnight and hard as ever to write on this swaying beast tearing through the countryside. The occasional blast of the horn is a familiar sound, and I welcome it even as I think of sleep. The boarder police will be here soon checking passports, I'll nap until then.



*Sorry about the lapse in posts. Been gone and lazy. and yes i know that i must have changed tenses 10 times but i dont care and i dont think you do either. If it is present tense, most likely it was taken strait out of my notes and not from memory.

Defeated for the Last Time!

I gave up on the Asia trip today after confusion aplenty at the ticket booth of the bus station and a very long time at TurkCell. Note to readers: Never, Never, Never assemble a group of more than 6 to do anything... it simply does not work. All is not lost however, the cell phone girls were very friendly and spoke some of the best English I have encountered, and through the marvelous tools of Google and the World Wide Web we were able to communicate without a problem. Also, my phone problems seem to have been fixed after an hour long international call to the states.

As for Asia, it will be mine! Soon enough, when the gods favor me and the winds are at my back, I will cross over. For now though, I think I will learn some Turkish to make life a bit easier... hey, at least I know I won't starve here (navigating the market is a different story).

A Lesson in Geography

REVISION: I did NOT cross the Bosphorus into Asia the other day. It was the Golden horn I crossed.

Istanbul is divided into three landmasses and a small handful of islands. The Bosphorus, or Istanbul Strait as it is called here, connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara; the Golden Horn is a fairly large inlet that feeds into the strait. By way of the Marmara one can sail to the Aegean and on into the Mediterranean.

However, I have planned a trip today into the mighty continent of Asia - it will be conquered today! That is, if the rest of my rag-tag group of ruffians can get their asses out of bed and into the shower. I made the mistake of waiting on some, and as you know if that leniency is extended to one it must be extended to all. This also means we will be a fairly large crowd (all 12, 14, I don't know how many are here).

I have decided to forgo pedestrianism, and am braving the public transit system of Istanbul today by taking a tram to the water's edge and a sea bus across the strait. I hope it's an amphibious vehicle, or maybe a hovercraft! Yea! or possibly a WWII era landing craft used in the D-Day assault of Normandy. Oh how I love surprises!

P.S. I don't proof read these. If any misprints/ untruths are discovered feel free to let me know.

Turistas Go Home

There is no better way to separate yourself from a population of locals than take a guided tour, especially when you're wearing headphones to translate; it is a basic law of nature. So we proceeded to take a two hour tour around Istanbul, and yes we were most definitely wearing translation equipment. I will admit it was a good way to have a quick view of the city and a little history sprinkled on top. For instance, one hotel in Istanbul "has had many famous people stay, including Agatha Christie." or one of the region's many cultures to inhabit the area were Martians. At least that's what the tour said.

Part one of the tour ended at the Blue Mosque and the earlier built Hagia Sophia, both very impressive displays of power and technology. For the second part, we crossed the Bosphorus into the Asian side of Istanbul, rode around and came back. It was alright, it was also my first time in Asia. That brings the total of new continents visited this trip to 2 for me (3 of 7 now.

The "Polis" presence here is pretty amazing; patrols with dogs here and there, motorbikes and cars carrying two officers drive by every now and then, saw one armored personnel carrier in front of the station, and no trash cans in crowded areas to prevent bombs. They seem to know what they are doing. As night fell though, helicopter patrols were flying shinning their spotlight as if it were a beam of guilt, and when it fell on me i felt like running. I thought better of it, I wouldn't even run for health here... too guilty, too strange, too much of a foreigner to do that.

Finally in Turkey, Finally Sick

It looks as if the deadly mixture of little sleep, cold temperatures, and non-stop Eurotrippin action has claimed its first victim... me. I felt a touch of a cold coming on yesterday, so what did I do? Went ice skating of course! I guess those last couple of rounds at the Augustiener doesn't cure colds after all. I bet you're thinking that this all sounds like my fault (mom and dad). Wrong, I knew I, and most probably we, was doomed when the last thing our wonderful (and I truly mean that) Korean hostel mate asked was, "Do you have any cold medicine?"

Damn, I knew he was too good to be true, I just hope it's not a mutated strain of avian flu. Maybe he lied about being from South Korean, is it possible that North Korea was covertly using him as a human incubator to spread a new deadly version of the rhinovirus? Nah, his clothes were to modern to be from Kim Jong-il's part of town.

Luckily our luggage was safe and intact when we picked it up from airport storage. Travel to Istanbul and to our apartments was flawless, and even traffic was flowing smoothly through the city - a rare occurrence I am told. A van did come within inches... no, this is Europe, centimeters from trading paint but we were both traveling the same speed and I wanted to see what might have happened. A quick sound of the horn and we were given some room. Our Turkish guides (three in all) turned to us thinking we might have some look of shear terror on our faces, but no we are veterans and this is Turkey dammit! Never let them see you flinch.

After our Mercedes-Benz limo bus some how maneuvered up our cramped street we were given the grand tour, and grand it was: three bedrooms and four beds, a kitchen, dinning room, living room, washer, and balcony overlooking our courtyard and the city beyond. All newly renovated and furnished in one of the world's largest cities (15 - 17 million according to the driver), amazing!

The jump start of Istanbul, and the secret of time travel

Well... I have just been given an extra day of life, but still no fountain of youth. The day started between at 5:30am Jan 13th, after making sufficient noise to rouse the poor inhabitants of our room we checked out of Wombats Hostel and boarded the S-bahn #1. After a seemingly uneventful ride to the flagunhafinschteinerbourer (airport for those non German speakers) we braved the bitter cold (an unusual 12 oF) of Munich one last time - Auf Widerseing (sp?) Deutschland! I said to myself. We then procceded to Turkish Airlines check-in. After a spate of computer problems where the computers were down and then our names were nowhere to be found on the list of travelers it was suddenly Jan. 12th! A whole day added to my life! I'm still not sure if it was some wormhole we passed through on the train ride or some strange wrinkle in time at the terminal, whichever the case we were graciously given an extra day in Munchen (dotted u of course) and because we had somehow traveled back in time we still had a room at the hostel paid for and waiting for us back in the city. We left our luggage at the airport baggage service, and with any luck they will be waiting for us when we get there tomorrow. I haven't figured it out because I am so new to time travel and the wierd paradoxical conundrums associated with it, but our luggage was not waitting for us as the room was. Which begs the question will it be at the airport tomorrow? or is it lost in some inexplicable quantum time loop? Anyways, waiting for the lazies to arise - such stresses on the body from that kind of experience must be incredible. I was clever enough to down a cup of espresso and a delicious German pastry with rasbery and custard? not too sure point and shoot what I always say... ask questions later.