Thursday, September 4, 2008

Some First Impressions

  • Everyone smokes.
  • The weather is amazing. Warm and sunny during the day, cool at night.
  • There are cats everywhere but they seem pretty happy.
  • This side of Istanbul seems like every other European/American big city. Everyone pretty much looks like everyone else I know, there products are exactly the same as in the US (including Activia yogurt and Sensodyne toothpaste), taxis are yellow
  • This side of Istanbul is also nothing like any other European/American big city. Mosques are everywhere and you hear their calls to prayer 5 times a day. The urban layout is very intense with buildings stacked on top of each other.
  • Everyone assumes I'm Japanese.
  • Judging by all the stares I've been getting, I stand out. A lot.