Silhouetted Goodbye (August 2)

Today was my last day in Istanbul. We decided to go to the spice market (since I hadn’t been) to get some apple tea to bring home! The girls had scouted out the best tea in the whole spice market the day before, so we knew right where to go. I got my apple tea, and also some pomegranate tea after I tried it. The other girls wanted to go back, but Brittany wanted to stay a bit longer and eventually go back to the Grand Bazaar. We hadn’t gotten enough of it! We split off and attempted to leave the spice market…instead we got SO lost in the outskirts of it, and eventually realized that we were the ONLY non-Turkish men wandering the crowded alleyways. Nobody spoke English…we would ask if someone spoke English, and they’d just stare at us. Not to mention the feeling of every pair of eyes staring at us as we walked down the alleyways. There were some shops and goods being sold, but it was just different. Very different.

Now, I think it’s important for me to explain that we were on a MISSION. I had seen these hand-hemmer/sewing machines a few days earlier. And I had a need. I had three pairs of linen pants that were about 5 inches too long, and they needed to be the right length by Morocco—in a few days. This little device looked like a stapler and was about that size, and you pretty much used it like you’d use a stapler over and over again. The thread was all a part of it, and you just click, click, click, click…I’d been shown on an earlier day but was in a hurry and wasn’t seriously going to buy it. Then I slept on it. And realized I could really put it to use. So, here we were on a mission to find it.

I swear it was a miracle. We were starting to panic and mumble back and forth to each other about how we really needed to find our way out, even though neither of us knew. THEN I SAW IT! The hand-hemmer!!! I saw a man with a little table and mini hand-hemmers spread out all over. You would have thought I won the lottery, I was so excited. I had a little celebration party with Brittany (quietly, of course) then had to compose myself enough to walk over and pretend I didn’t want it. Long story short, it started at 20 and I got it for 5, and I probably could have gotten it for 1 if I wanted to. He didn’t speak English, but he was so sweet. He was just so happy someone was buying something from him. I picked out a pink one, and looked confused. He taught me how to use it, and even made me practice on a piece of material he had to make sure I really got it. Then I gave him the 5 Turkish Lyra and took about one step away, then stopped…and turned back. He understood. We had NO idea how to get out. We’d been wandering for awhile, turning turns and getting all turned around. He simply pointed his arm down, bounced it the number of streets we had to pass, pointed his arm to the right, bounced a number of times, turned it left, bounced it, and we were off! We got out of there SO quick!

By that point, both of us had our fill of Turkishness and decided we didn’t need to go back to the Grand Bazaar. We went back into the spice market (thanks to nice hand-hemmer-man’s directions) and spent our last Lyra there. Then we headed back to the ship!

We went to Starbucks with our laptops to get some internet, but it was really not that good. Actually, that’s not true. I bet the internet was great. However, with the entire ship sitting all around Starbucks, all 700 of us students (not really ALL, but seriously a lot), the internet slowed down a bit and I definitely noticed. So I didn’t get to put as many pictures up on my blog as I wanted. I think I did get through Croatia though, maybe? Don’t take my word on that!

Then we REALLY got back onto the ship to stay, ate dinner, and headed up to the top deck to say goodbye the Istanbul as we pulled away. It. Was. GORGEOUS!!! There was a bright pink sky behind the beautiful silhouetted mosques all along the skyline. I wish I could describe it better, or at least post a picture! Soon enough. Anyway, you get the idea that it was beautiful. Istanbul is such an enchanting city, and seeing it all silhouetted against an amazing sunrise made it just stunning, and even more enchanting. And so we were off, leaving the beautiful Istanbul to disappear into the sunset!