Day 0 – Travel
October 14 - Istanbul
To say we had a rough start is a tad of an understatement. All packed. All ready. we leave the house and boy realized he forgot his backpack. Turn back. Get a little further and I realize I forgot the power converter. Turn back. Finally. On the road. Anything else we forgot is too late.
We arrive at the airport and to our surprise the check in counter has a winding line…. I thought that being unable to digitally check in the flight was a bug. Apparently, it was a feature. The entire plane was ahead of us, also checking in. After a forty -five minute wait, we got to the front.
Checking in was relatively uneventful, but I checked to make sure our global entry was on our tickets. After such a long wait, we didn’t have time to do this again through security. The agent confirmed it wasn’t on our tickets but was happy to help. So after being all checked in, we hurried to security.
Only to be told my global entry wasn't on our ticket.
Praise the Lord that the regular security lane had a short line. Still, there’s a lot more steps there than we’re used to, so we had to wade our way through it but we made it through. Both of the boys bags for secondaried, but it was okay. We rushed through to the train and to our gate.
We only had about 15 minutes before boarding but the boys were absolutely starving. We made a quick jump to the opposite side of the gates to the lounge to get a quick dinner. Nate was nervous, but after the mess at the ticket counter I was highly doubtful they would start boarding on time. So we got some food, desserts and rolled up to the gate 20 minutes after boarding started.
Man, was I right. We actually could have had a leisurely dinner and still made it before they began boarding. But hey? We were in line, we were good. After another 40 minute wait we found our seats and made ourselves comfortable. The plane took off and we began to dig in our bags.
Nate’s owl pillow. The one hes taken on every trip for at least 6 years. Gone. He accidentally left it at security when he got called into secondary. Eeyore, Elijahs travel companion since birth, left in his bedroom when he rearranged his bag. The stupid adapter that WE WENT BACK FOR, left in the back of the car from when I pulled my suitcase out of the car.
All we could do is just look at each other helplessnessly. Oh well. Nothing to be done. And you know?
If it's honestly the worst thing that happens, we'll be alright.
The way the time change happened, it was wise to only get a few hours of sleep…just enough to take the edge off. The flight left at 8 PM, but was arriving around 5 PM. If we slept too much we wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. So we got just enough and entertained ourselves with movies and video games in the latter part of the trip.
Finally! We made it!
It was RAINING. Like our flight had to circle for about an hour, raining. But we landed safely (and coolly – this was our first flight with cameras on the underside and on the tail!) But we made it!
The Istanbul airport is HUGE. like DIA without the trams. We had no idea where we were going…and no, we couldn’nt follow the crowd because the crowd literally split. After several minutes of walking, we found international passport holder line (about 3 decades long) and got in. Honestly, it wasn’t that bad, we were just tired. Got through passport control and after wandering around the airport for a bit, we found where our bus stop was.
Unfortunately, we were just too late, and pulled up right as it pulled out. We had about a 45 minute wait for the next one, but you know? Today is a waiting day, so we went with it. Once the next bus showed up, we piled on and headed to Sultanahmet – old town Istanbul.’
So, it turns out that Istanbul is experiencing flash flooding…so a 45 minute drive took 2.5 hours. again, this was a waiting trip, so we weren’t even too annoyed. Just struggling to stay awake so we can sleep during the night.
So, it turns out that Istanbul is experiencing so much rain that its been flooding. Which made the trip even longer. When we finally arrived at the bus stop, the rain had still not relented. There were no street lights. Only the light for the many businesses along the road. Got our luggage and school started walking down the three blocks to our hotel. It didn’t sound that bad on the map, but in the darkness and rain, and cold, and unfamiliarity with a new place, it was QUITE the journey. We found every puddle. The drivers were relentless and were sure to splash us. Still, we persevered, and after grueling 10 minutes, we turned down the cobblestone street into the safety of Istanbul’s alleyways. Our hotel was nearby. Inside was dimly lit, warm with a faint smell of old cigarette smoke that had permeated the walls over the years.
The airline had paid for our hotel so check-in was a breeze. With key in hand, we headed to our third floor room and through the window,
Open letting in the cool evening there. And through the open curtains,
there was Hagia Sophia, shining in all her glory.
To say I was giddy is an understatement. Hagia Sophia is my favorite…2nd favorite?ancient piece of archotecture and I…was…stoked.
Couldn’t stay long, however. It was late, and we were tired, but we were also STARVING. Had to go back out. There was a restaurant not too far back down the path we had just come from. The rain had relented, and without the luggage, it was so much easier to navigate. We went inside, chilled and a little damp, and we’re greeted warmly by a man named Sergio.
Upon hearing it was our first time in Turkey, he quickly set before us hot Turkish tea and handed me a warm blanket (you know this is my place) So, we sipped on Turkish tea while we flipped through the menu pages, unsure what to order. The tea was amazing. It wasn’t sweet, but it didn’t need to be. As a self-proclaimed tea connoisseur, I am pretty familiar with most teas, but this one was absolutely fresh and new to me.
We finally made decisions. Elijah got the sultan’s delight, Nate’s went with the tried and true lamb kababs, and I got the grilled sea beam.
Outside, the sky was cold and dark, so we couldn’t tell that the host restaurant was actually sitting across the street from the Bosphorus. Had it been lighter, The view would have been amazing. Had it been warmer, the roof would have been open and the vibe would have been amazing. But the cold, fall air added a different kind of ambience, and arguably, it made it feel less like vacation and more like a good time in an old haunt.
Nate struck up a conversation with another one of the workers, who was loudly cheering at a football game. (That’s soccer for all my friends back home) and they bonded when Nate asked what team he needed to cheer for.
Soon,
our first Turkish meal was ready.
The presentation was fantastic… But the flavor? Absolutely out of this world. I’m not entirely sure what spices they used, but I know I’m going to get some on our way back.
After dinner, Sergio decided to treat us to some baklava. I’m not a big fan of super sweet things, but man! Was this stuff delicious. He confessed he saw us walking in the rain with our suitcases on the way in, and didn’t tell us about the shortcut through the restaraunt. But on the way back, we would be able to take it. So after we paid, he led us through the back door which took us back into the safety of the alleyway where our hotel was located. The rain had subsided. The lights from the open restaurants, reflected on the water pooling on the cobblestones. Someone called to us to invite us into his restaurant, but when we admitted we had already eaten, he gave us his card instead.
Once we are back home to our little hotel, it was time for hot showers and bed. As I leaned back onto the pillows and the lights were turned off, I could see the blue mosque, all lit up and beautiful in the distance.
