One week ago I was strolling through Tokyo on my last day. Then I flew home and spent a couple of days there, seeing friends and family… and I had a feeling of familiarity, that kind of made the memory of the first trip vaguely bizarre… as if I had only dreamt it all up. Being back made the whole trip look even more surreal.

Then yesterday evening, as I was walking through the buzzing streets of the Beyoglu area in Istanbul, meeting up with Sven and Kevin, I felt even more like in a dream.

I think I’m traveling too fast for my brain to catch up and process. I wanted to answer ‘arigato’ when they brought the pizza. I need some days to adjust.

I had spent the last night in Zurich, meeting my friends Heike and Toma, who just had their baby Eloise born last week. We had a nice quiet evening with Raclette and in the morning Toma brought me to the airport.

Uneventful flight, except for a Turkish businessman with severe flight anxiety next to me. At the airport, huge crowds at the passport control – I still tend to forget I am actually being controlled – and it took some time to get in.

I took a taxi and met up with my hosts Türker and Cansu and they showed me the way to the apartment and let me in.

I’m right in the middle of Beyoglu, the fish market with endless bars and restaurants nearby, tons of fruit stands, chestnut sellers in the streets… This will be fun.

 

My apartment is rather large (well, after Japan): a living room/kitchenette, then a bathroom and a separate bedroom with two beds, as my sister Sabine will arrive next weekend. It’s clean and functional and I’ll have a good time here.

The immediate streets look a bit adventurous, as the blocks around me are poorer and run-down, with lots of holes in the streets, some ruins, stray cats, and laundry being dried over your head. It looked a bit rough last night when all the trash bags were out, but this morning after the trash removal passed it looks better.

I’m definitely in the middle of it…

I went to a supermarket around the corner for some basics, but I might need to find a bigger one with more choice…

Now I’m off to meet Sven and Kevin for a relaxed stroll through town, and tonight the boys booked us in for massages at a hamam. Exactly what I need.