Again we stayed in relaxing after the day’s adventure. We lounged around, uploaded photos, and did a laundry. Yes the Dogan Studio has a clothes washer. In fact the apartment has a Bosch water heater, Seimens mini refrigerator and washer, and a very good AC unit.
The more we explore Istanbul, the more we appreciate the Dogan Studio. It is a bit of a walk up-hill to get to the metro or tunnel, but that isn’t all that bad. It is in a very vibrant part of Beyoglu, which is still hopping past midnight, We returned home well after midnight yesterday, a Wednesday. Tonight we headed home early at 11pm because we are exhausted (in a good way). The whole area was alive with people and music and looked to be going strong. The Dogan Studio is a 50 step 4th floor walk-up. It’s not a problem for us, but if we forget something, it is a pain going back up and down again.
A word about Turkey’s General Election which takes place on the 7th, the day after we sail off. The rally we encountered on the bridge was for the CHP, the Republic People’s Party, which is a left center social democratic party and the only serious opposition to Ahmet Davitoglu, Prime Minister of Turkey who took over from Erdogan. It felt like a left wing rally: it was up beat, happy, and un-aggressive. I wish them well.
This evening we walked past the metro and tunnel stations and walked down “music street”. I”m sure the street name is posted somewhere, but I have not seen it. This street has a concentration of musical instrument shops. The last time we walked here I saw and exquisite hand carved gourd instrument that I absolutely want to play. This was my goal in urging us down the “music street”. Understandably most of the shops were closed with steel garage doors locked in place. No wonder, they have a very expensive inventory. We continued down the street which veered steeply down to the right and came upon a square with a brightly lit tour at center surrounded by restaurants and a throng of people. To the left as we turned the corner there were wide steps going down the steep hill with perhaps a hundred or so people sitting, talking and laughing. This appears to be the city’s equivalent of the Spanish Steps of Roma.
Most interesting, many of the shops along the main boulevard were open and doing a brisk business. The Turks love to stroll in the evenings and eat ice cream, Turkish delight, or have a coffee and people watch. It is much the same all over the world.
Tonight I did not have the chance to play the bazouki (assuming that’s what it is), nor have I yet tried Raki, the local fire water. I think it is an anis based liquor with a no-holds barred punch.
Tomorrow we’ll return to the old city and stroll the back alleys and major boulevards “looking for adventure in whatever comes our way”
Istanbul, with understanding comes acceptance.
Ron