raining in Istanbul
I haven’t written much in the past couple of weeks – ran out of steam, and then have been sick with bronchitis. I still have bronchitis and am now on my way back to Oz. Right now, I have just 4 hours for sightseeing in Istanbul and it’s POURING with rain!!! I figure it would be dumb to go out and get soaked in the pursuit of a few snaps and souvenirs, so I’m waiting it out, in the guest house common room overlooking the Bosphorous Sea. Not a bad view
After seven weeks of living another culture (as much as I could, without the language) it felt really weird last night wandering around in this tourist part of Istanbul. As a tourist I’m on the outside looking in, taking a few photos, buying a few trinkets and thinking that I know something of Turkey, but that’s so shallow, so incomplete. hmmm does that make sense? After living overseas for so long, I don’t know that I could ever feel like I’ve ’seen’ a country unless I’ve taken up residence and done the ‘ordinary’ things alongside the locals, for a few weeks at least. I’m not really interested in visiting the touristy places, they quickly bore more. Even in China I would much rather go and visit my friends and students in their homes. Oh dear, what does this mean for my future travel? I guess I won’t be able to go anywhere for less than a couple of months.
But for now, maybe, just maybe, the rain has eased a little, or is that just wishful thinking?
I envy you your exciting travels — I always wanted to see Turkey. We had some lovely Turkish friends when we lived in Belgium but I just ran out of time. Please feel better soon – bronchitis is no fun, I know!