Day: 34
I actually managed to sleep 11 solid hours on an overnight bus, the drugs Dr. Akbar gave me kick ass. Fortunately he set me up with a few more of these magic sleeping pills for future uncomfortable long term travel. I woke up some time around 8:30 in the morning right as the bus came into the outskirts of Istanbul by mid-morning we had found our way into the city center, dropped off Akbars bags at his hotel where he had been storing most of his stuff for the last 10 days and headed out to find Jasper and I a place to stay for the night. Akbar was leaving today to head back to Pakistan for a couple of months before he starts a new job in the states.
We found a nice place, then decided to wander the town, see the Blue Mosque, find some lunch and have one last beer with Akbar before he set out on his way to catch his flight. Jasper and I had been told by many people that we just had to see the underground cistern built in the 3rd century A.D., but after spending the $8 to get in we were less than impressed. It was a small underground water reserve with a cool roof, we could have saved our money and had a couple more beers instead. We did some more wandering of the entire city and were constantly hassled by rug dealers trying to get us to come in, have tea and look at their rug. Whenever we said we had no way to carry it they all suggested sending it home to our moms. “Mom’s love rugs” they would say. We never bought any rugs, so mom, don’t expect one for your birthday next week (they wouldn’t go with your house anyhow).
By early evening we just decided to buy a bottle of vodka and have a few drinks (vodka and OJ) with our new friend Grant then just wander the city seeing what it had to offer at night. I thought it might be something special with 13 million people here, but no, it was the same collection of bars and parties as any big city. We decided to partake.
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A-P News wire, April 3, 2006;
A group of men stopped a passenger bus and tossed gasoline bombs at it, sending the vehicle careening into pedestrians and killing three in Istanbul on Sunday as pro-Kurdish riots continued to spread.
Clashes between Kurdish demonstrators and security forces have spread from the southeast to Istanbul, which has a large Kurdish population.
Rioting was set off by funerals for 14 pro-autonomy Kurdish guerrillas killed by Turkish troops. Thousands of protesters have rampaged since attacking police, banks, and government offices.
Rob, we all love to read about your travels, and your hijinks. However our lives would forever be amiss without you.
Please son keep your head down, stay alert & sober, and take your photos on your way out.
God bless, Love Dad & Darlene
I’ve got ten bucks that says Jasper has a little baggie of magic pills too. Probably not the prescription kind either.
PS… I agree with your father. Everybody will make fun of you if you have to come home because your arm was blown off by Kurdish guerrillas. Now, we don’t want that do we? It would probably be your drinking arm anyway. Be safe. You can do stupid stuff when you get home, Mr. One-Arm.
Hi ROBBIE!!!!