Some Quick Thoughts
Getting back to the airport was a bit hectic. The tram I was on stops halfway back and reverses direction. Everyone but me seemed to know this. That's what I get for not speaking the language used by the train conductor. :-)
But I got back fine, got my stored bags, grabbed a bottle of whiskey for Bishu (Sage's brother) and am sitting, enjoying a beer to help me sleep on the flight. I'm exhausted from walking most of the day. It will be nice to have a place to actually stay for at least a few days and not have to worry about being on the move constantly. Even only carrying a tiny bag around (I bought a cheap little bag at the Grand Bazaar) was enough to wear me out after having only a few hours of sleep the night before. As strange as it seems, finally being in Nepal will be a bit of a relief after all of the craziness trying to get there. I suppose I shouldn't say that yet since it isn't late enough for my flight to come up on the board and so I don't actually know if it is scheduled to leave as planned.
Istanbul is definitely interesting. There is a lot of hussling going on all the time Most people speak at least a little English but a lot of that speaking is for the sake of selling something to tourists. No doubt this impression is just because I was in a tourist corridor all day (saw the Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia) but it wears on me after a bit. I was a bit disappointed that most of the stuff in the Grand Bazaar was the same, cheaply manufactured knickknacks - seriously, almost every stall. I didn't even notice until I'd wandered most of the space once. After a second circuit it was really clear though.
Despite the over-commercialization of the parts of the city I saw, I was amazed at how beautiful it is. I can't wait to be able to return and spend more time exploring. I'll make more of an effort to speak a bit of turkish at that time too.