A splash of the colours of Istanbul

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/393853929886328402/

The sun starting to set

Hamam

I've found a Hamam for you:

http://kilicalipasahamami.com/services/

I haven't been yet but I will, but I've been recommended it by a parent. 130L is pretty reasonable for Istanbul, only about £30; you pay more in Sultanahmet where a lot of the other hamams are, but that is the tourist centre

I know exactly where it is, and its also near the modern art museum and a good lokantasi (restaurant) in an interesting neighbourhood. Its also where the cruise ships moor up. One bus from mine

Ageing some artefacts

Using the old teabag trick to age some 'artefacts' for our Literacy topic of recounts.

In the rain

Istanbul cok guzel!

Nasilsin? Ben de iyiyim, tessekkurler. Istanbul cok guzel! Ama, Istanbul'da cok trafik, istanbul cok kalabalik ama eski. Ben Etiler'de bu besiktas - etiler cok gurultulu ve pahali, besiktas kalabalik ama 'cool' (:

Ok, so I'm having to follow some of that from my language class notes, but I kinda understand most of it (; 

First dslr photos

Istanbul is a bit mad, but mainly awesome. Its pretty friendly, although having a very British face its mainly friendly if they think they can make some money out of you, not sure its really any different from anywhere else in the world in that way. In fact, Istanbullus are about as considerate as Londoners otherwise!

My class are lovely.  They spontaneously sing on occasion..

I have to admit I'm still adjusting to life out here, I have settled into my own narrow groove for the moment, I think with time I'll feel more at home, but for now I think its ok to live a simple life instead of feeling the need to experience every moment. I live very close to school which is good for stress levels, traffic here is manic, but my neighbourhood is posh/up itself! Think Chelsea but with big outdoor cafes and ice cream parlours and places to brunch. But I'm pretty close to town, and getting around is very easy, and I think the next neighbourhood down is far more liberal and youthful, going to try a friday night out there instead - hope I fit!

Food is pretty good, meze is very tasty, and then there are kebabs,  and kebabs, and kebabs.. but some of the slightly more up market places do things like semi-closed pizzas (pide), and local salads, etc.

Beer is better than I expected. Try to buy 'filtresiz', or unfiltered, to try to minimize the hangover effect..
Looking forward to some ales at home at  christmas though (:

Lunch stop.

Lunch stop.

The terrace of the Epope restaurant in Ortakoy. Just me, myself and I. Looking out over the rooftops to Boğaziçi Köprüsü, or Bosphorus Bridge, and Ortakoy Camii, on the banks of the Bosphorus.

Ortakoy is one of the tourist destinations in Istanbul. It is full of souvenir shops and poncey cafes, but back behind the waterfront are more interesting hangouts, with live music, hooka, and little terraces above the rooftops. Ortakoy translates exactly as 'middle village'. I guess it is in between places, between the nouveau-riche of Bebek and the hustle and bustle of the local and international ports of Besiktas, Kabatas and Tophane.

For Aaron

Finally bought my nephew a birthday present. Only two months late.. I hope he likes it.

Siyah Beyazlılar!

Nearly a month

So, nearly a whole month, only another 23 here, doesn't actually sound that many really..

I managed to get lost this evening and missed my turkish class.. and I've only just located the post office, so I will be able to return some postcards soon! For those that sent them, thank you for your lovely postcards, my fridge is now overflowing and I'll need to buy some more magnets this weekend!

School has started well, my class are lovely, and I met the parents today and they seem very supportive. I'm starting to get a pattern for my days, and an idea of what is expected from the school. Im also getting an idea of the perks of private teaching: 15 in my class, emphasis on holistic teaching rather than assessment, oh, and ski trips and trips to space camps and mosques and museums actively encouraged......

This is a view of the Bosphorus from Rumelihisariustu (the Turkish, like the Germans, like to make really long words; this place name means Top (above) the Fortress on the Land of the Romans). At its narrowest point the Bosphorus is only 700m wide, and features 80' turns!

Çok trafic!

There are two things that you can say to Istanbullus, repeatedly, about their city and they will agree. Çok guzel (Very beautiful). And. Çok trafic!

Yay, look what arrived!

Where do I buy stamps?!

So, I guess I can confidently say I am settled in to Istanbul, although maybe not as I have received 5 postcards and haven't yet located where to even buy a stamp here..

I have, however, located where to buy a delicious street food treat: balik ekmek, or fish bread:

Freshly grilled in front of you, picked clean of bones, drizzled with lemon juice, and whacked into a chunk of bread (ekmek) with a heap of tasty salad. Can't believe its only 6TL, or about one pound fifty!

1st day dusted and done

Look what I got this morning!!