Istanbul: Doing the Tourist Thing

I could blog about our textbook visits to Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, but you can both find better pictures online and read better descriptions in guidebooks. So why bother? That said, strolling in the shadows of a church/mosque with a birthdate in the 4th century while the entire city vibrates with the call to prayer is an inaffable experience that I urge you to partake. The otherworldliness never wore thin. I wish I had just sat there and taken it all in for hours. A city like Istanbul deserves more than windowshopping tourism.
In more interesting news, there was a revolt named Nika...Foreshadow?
Everywhere we went, I saw arrows that were pointing to Girls, but not really. At any rate, being the only straight male creature in our group, I really could deal with less estrogen. To that end, Istanbul was the perfect city; hardly any local women could be seen on the streets during the day. Male chauvinism was definitely the modus op. I didn't feel too kindly toward them, not with their persistent and sleazy advances toward the girls and racial disrespect toward me. I can't tell the difference between a Turk and a Kurd to save my life, but at least I know better than to go around saying "Merhaba" or "Shalom" to every Middle Eastern I see. Still, they seem like a rather warm and happy people, and that's a welcomed relief from Moscovites. Despite everything, I absolutely loved the hotel staff, who were geniunely warm and helpful and in all other ways wonderful.