One of the things I really, really love about traveling: everyone assumes I am a simpleton. And, seriously, as a tourist, I am. I don't know the language, I don't know how to buy a tram token, I don't know what any of the food on the street is until I taste it. Yesterday, when I gave somebody correct change, he smiled and clapped with surprise, as if I'd done a party trick. I am shamelessly taking advantage of the shillers on the square- if we are going to to the "we are all about Turkish Hospitality" thing, I am going to let them walk me to the tram token window and give me directions. After all these years of being expected to know everything, it is so nice when nobody expects anything at all. Architecture is really damn hard- with every design decision you have to consider solar orientation, environmental impacts, the effect of your building on the public realm, the context of the city, the structural system, material interactions, the digital and physical representation, the graphic design of your presentation, the speech you will give to defend your decisions to your jury- it's exhausting. There's a good reason that, even with a master's degree, I'll have to intern for years before I can sit for licensing exams. Sitting in a cafe eating gozleme (scrumptious salty crumbled cheese pancake, thank you Kristen Hawk) I am totally in the dark about everything going on around me: conversations over the backgammon boards, the lyrics to the music videos playing on the tv, and how to order one of those baklava rolls piled up in the window dripping with honey. This is so fabulous.
So. I have a huge crush on the guy at the kebap shop, on the corner next to Galata Tower. The first time I passed him I was lost, and it was dark, as I headed downhill and stumbled onto the streets of light sellers. He gave me a piercing look as I passed and said, "Hello." The next day, wandering down Istiklal Street, I realized that it dead-ended at the tower, just around a curve. If I'd known the trick of walking straight uphill, from any direction, I would have found it 50 feet away. So again, tumbling downhill, same shop, same hello, same piercing look. I am not flattered by this piercing look, dearly though I would love to be. If you had this man's eyes, my friends, you would not be able to give a look that was not piercing, to anyone. He looks, but exactly, like Luka from E.R. Anyone? Anyone else have a crush on Luka? It is totally him. He is beautiful. I want to go back there and drop something in front of him, like the shoe-shine guys do. They know if they drop something in your path, and you stop to help them pick it up, you have already formed a bond....
On to today. I have gotten into a really nice routine- get up whenever I wake up, linger over breakfast at my lovely pension (fluffy bread, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a boiled egg) and then strike out to see some culture. I am limiting myself, for the most part, to one monument/mosque/museum per day, in order to avoid traveler's burnout. The rest of the time I spend exploring the city. This morning I went with my new Australian friend, Sarah, on a marathon walk while her boyfriend stayed behind to play backgammon in a cafe. We ended up at Dolambache Palace, which I think is fascinating because it was built for sultans to use, but not until the 1800's. It's relatively modern- the harem situation seems a little bit jarring here among the Versailles-style furniture. We wandered up the waterfront, where Sarah had a shoe-shine forcibly administered, before turning back- great fun. After hours of walking, I did some present shopping in the Grand Bazaar- prices tend to drop at sunset when the vendors sense a "last sale of the day" coming on.
In ths Spice Bazaar at dusk: still my favorite. Lured into a tea shop, because the bins of flowery tea and spices were gorgeously piled high in little pyramids, and because the guys out front said, "MICHAEL JORDAN!" when I said Carolina.
"I am not letting you buy Love Tea," sas Kilic.
"I am totally buying Love Tea, Kilic," I say.
"No, no, no. Don't need. You buy Lemon Tea. You buy Rose Tea. You are too beautiful for Love Tea. You just live in the wrong place."
Did I mention, I love Istanbul?
And I did buy Lemon Tea, and Rose Tea, and Love Tea. The Love Tea is for the kebap man in front of Galata Tower. Kilic drew a big heart on my Love Tea with a Sharpie. If all else fails, I am going to drop THAT in front of the kebap man who looks like Luka and see if he takes the hint. Our courtship has progressed dramatically- yesterday we made it to a three-sentence conversation. I walked past and he made a giant ruckus clapping and stamping his feet from the cold.
"Cold today!" I said.
"Yes! Cold today- but tomorrow hot!"
And damned if he didn't manage to give me a piercing look again, while laughing and stomping his feet.
