It is difficult to pack when all your clothes are wet and sitting in the dryer. It is difficult to shower when all of your towels are also in the dryer with the rest of the clothes you were going to wear after the shower. I woke up at 4am and went to check on my clothes only to find them wet in the dryer after one cycle. It was lucky that I went upstairs to check or else I would have had to pack wet clothes and dry them in Istanbul. I set the timer again and went back to bed until 6am. The first load was finally dry at 6am and I put the second load of sheets and towels in to dry. In retrospect I should have dried the towels first in order to shower while the second load was in, but it all seemed to work out just fine. I was showered, packed, and downstairs ready to go to the airport at 8:30am, I already knew it would be a long day.
At the airport we found Maja before checking into our flight. Part of security in the airport was going through customs, and I was happy to finally get a stamp on my passport from Denmark. I initially entered Europe through Sweden, so I had a Stockholm stamp and none from Copenhagen. It was a short wait in the terminal before boarding the plane. After a movie, lunch, and a nice nap we were landing in Turkey.
Other students had to collect their checked luggage, after which we loaded the bus on our way to the hotel. During the bus ride I found myself looking back and forth, left and right constantly, and I still wasn't able to see everything. There were people everywhere enjoying the sun, the beach, little shops, and restaurants all along the way. There were new buildings and old buildings, churches, beaches, food stands, and an endless amount of people. It was a very active and exciting city. While driving, Koray, our tour guide, introduced himself and told us about some of the history of the Republic of Turkey. He also told us useful information about the difference in social cues and how not to approach people when on the streets. Koray pointed out that people in the United States are friendly and will smile and say hello in passing. He told us to not do this on the streets of Istanbul. He said when you look into a man's eyes it means, "I like you, lets go to bed." He said if a man looks at you for more than a few seconds then you should ask what he wants with some attitude. It feels like I have to walk around as though I'm on the New York subway.
Because of the protests in Taksim Square, we had to move our hotel to Aziyadé Hotel in the part of Istanbul referred to as the Golden Horn, the popular tourist center. We checked into our hotel and had an hour until heading to dinner. We weren't able to leave the hotel, so we went up to the restaurant on the roof to have a look at the view. After one look out the windows I knew I was in love with this city. It is unlike anywhere I've ever been, and there is an exciting thrill associated with this new place.
We met in the lobby at 6:45pm to make our way to dinner. I knew I was in Turkey because within minutes of leaving the hotel I had a catcall, I was almost run over by a taxi, and there was a sour smell as soon as we stepped outside, but lets face it, the smell could have been coming from me after a day of traveling and it sure was hot! Koray said that two things are unpredictable in Istanbul: traffic and the weather. It is supposed to be in the 80s all week, and I sure hope it stays this way. 
Another indicator that we were in a different country was the abundance of stray cats everywhere you turned. There were even stray cats hanging out at the restaurant we went to. These cats were playing under our feet, walking on the counters, and running around the server's legs. I tried not to think too long and hard about stray cats in and around my food. 
Dining is quite the cultural experience in Istanbul. We traveled to a side street of Taksim Square to a restaurant called Cezayir. There we had a traditional Turkish meal that was three courses. We were so full by the end that Carla, Cami, and I were half convinced we would need wheelbarrows to get us out of the restaurant.
We started with several appetizers that were split among each table. Two of my favorites were a hummus like spread that was made from red peppers, cheese, and walnuts with pomegranate seeds on top. My other favorite was a cheese, olive, and sun dried tomato rolled in what looked like a grape leaf. Everything was so mouth watering that I was practically full after the appetizer. The only thing I didn't like was the liver. I told myself that I was in a different country and that I had to try everything, so I gave it an honest shot. It was just as bad as I always dreamed it to be. The texture and the flavor combine to make the nightmare of all nightmares. No foreign cuisine can even make liver taste good.
For the main course I had beef stroganoff which I couldn't finish even though it was just as delicious as everything else we had tried so far. Like I wasn't already full enough, just to top it off they brought out a type of pudding cake with vanilla pudding on top and chocolate cookie crust on the bottom. Koray was sitting at our table for dinner and told us that in Turkish culture it is impolite to leave food on your plate. You are allowed to share, but you should try and finish everything on your plate. I didn't care if it was rude or not, at that point I was defeated and couldn't take one more bite. I wasn't kidding when I said they would need wheelbarrows to carry us out of the place.
Towards the end of dinner we could hear spoons banging on glasses and other silverware. The sound echoed through the room and down the street and I was confused as to what we were hearing. Koray told us that this was part of the protests. One night at 3am people started clanking spoons and silverware together. Crowds of people joined the march and walked for two hours to Taksim Square where 40,000 people gathered to protest the government and make noise, figuratively and literally. Koray gave us and insider view of what the current protests have been like. He showed us pictures of him from the day before with a gas mask and goggles on to escape the tear gas. It was a frightening picture, but part of the reality of the situation. Taksim Square used to be all green parks, and there were plans to make the last green area into a shopping mall. In protest, people came out in tents and camped in the park once they started chopping down trees. At 5am the police came with tear gas and water cannons and drove the peaceful protestors out before burning their tents to the ground. Violent intervention by the police has been occurring throughout Istanbul, but little has made it to the news. Not all protests are peaceful, and it seems as through only the violent ones make it on television. Many of the protests are individuals like you and I that are standing up for what they believe in and fighting for democracy. There is no leader of the movement which is part of the reason the protests are so unpredictable. No one has faced a situation like this before, neither the protestors or the opposition, so they aren't sure what to do and how to approach the situation. It's an awakening for Turks and others throughout the world fighting for democracy.
After dinner we decided to explore the city and go for a walk. It felt good to move around a little after that massive meal. Although we were all incredibly full, Carla couldn't help but point out every baklava store in sight. She was a kid at a candy shop drooling over the window displays. It was a good thing she didn't exchanged money yet or else these baklava shops would have sold out. As we were walking back towards the hotel someone said to me "excuse me ma'am. I really like your breasts. They are very beautiful." What a way to end the night. Welcome to Turkey. 
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