I just got back from a packed vacation visiting family in Istanbul. We saw alot and played alot. Check out the pictures at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2035584&id=79800981&l=ac76db103e
Oh, and on a random side note, as I traveled home, the people got louder. Istanbul was much quieter than my city, even though it is at least 4 times bigger than where I live. Traveling back was an interesting experience, because the airport check in counter was louder than the ferry that I took across the city to the airport, and people were speaking Arabic. I was glad that it felt comforting to hear Arabic; I must be doing decent in Arabic then, if I miss it. And then waiting at the gate, everyone was loud and there was no real line, just a mass of people. It is scary how good I have gotten at pushy through and cutting in lines, just like everyone else. Please forgive me if it takes me a little while to readjust to in the US, and I push or cut in line in front of you. ;) No one yelled on the plane, but it was not at all quite like the busses in Turkey. And, like normal for Arabs, when the plane landed everyone on the plane applauded.
Anyways I am still waiting for the noise to fade away again, but it hasn't. I came back to find that they are daily doing construction on the roof of our building and we live on the top 10th floor. So they are drilling at 8AM and it sounds like it is in my room! I can hear the motorbikes on the street from the 10th floor, and I started counting seconds between honks, and the highest I have gotten is "8 mississippi." Right now two cars are holding down their horns, cause we all know this gets the problem solved faster!! anyways, sorry for that rant. I am sure this is just a culture shock thing, but thought I would share.
