Gunnar Rundgren på resa / on tour

Jag tyckte jag skulle komma till Turkiet i god stil och Margareta fick en rejal overhalning i Ukraina, sa nu skiner hon!
Jag lyckades fa med cykeln, jag fick tom leda den forbi alla sakerhetskontroller och apparater {ramen kunde ju vara fylld med sprangmedel, sa mycket for den sakerheten} direkt till baggagevagnen. Flyget till Istanbul gick utan missoden.

Jag var i Istanbul 1971 med familjen, och mindes egentligen mest lukterna - tyckte att det luktade sotaktigt skit mest hela tiden. Och att de tutade hela tiden/
 Men det ar intressant hur mycket man kanner igen nar man val ar dar. Ocksa en detalj om hur teet smakade. Teet i Turkiet har en alldeles unik smak-jag vet inte varfor. men jag har inte kannt den nagon annan stans, och jag har da druckit te i valdigt manga andra lander.

De har slutat tuta bilarna, och det luktar inte skit langre. Istanbul ar faktiskt en mycket trevlig, intressant, livlig och vacker stad.

Har ser ni utsikten fran mitt hotel, Nu skall jag till ett turkist bad- hamam och fa skummassage, inte skum massage alltsa! hoppas jag/
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You can see that I gave Margareta a thorough cleaning before leaving Ukraine. wanted to arrive in style in Turkey/


Now in Istanbul, here you see the view from the hotel roof top restaurant for breakfast.
 
I spent the 10th in Istanbul, mainly wandering around and going by tram. The tramline number 1 is a a very nice and cheap way to move around and it also stops at most touristic hot spots, So I went with it from one end station to the others. They have also a metro line in Istanbul. I didn't really visit any of the touristic monuments even if I passed them. I have seen them before and they are really great. I find the Sultanahmet (Blue) mosque in particular beautiful.

I was here 1971 with the family and it is interesting to note how I remember some things well, how other things are new (like the tram-super, and that the cars no longer blow their horns constantly). The smell is not the same. Interestingly Turkish tea has a very unique flavour which I immediately recognised 37 year later. It is interesting how strong memories of smell and taste are - for me at least.

I focused on people and houses this time and got a lot of nice shots of derilict buildings. 

 
fish mongers/



People fishing at the Galata bridge.


The tram, quick, slick,clean and cheap.


They were really cute - but they were meeowing miserably, like if they were looking for somebody to adopt the whole family - they do look like one family don't they ?

I did also go to a hamam and got a foam massage (with the foam from an olive soap), that was quite nice, then I also cut my hair (no picture provided for these two events).

My earlier memories from Istanbul were very nice and I must say that this very brief visit reconfirmed my feeling that Istanbul is one of the most interesting and pleasant big cities of the world (mind you that I am a bit of a city hater......) Can strongly recommend a visit.

Have to take an early evening today. Have a ferry boat that leaves at 7 in the morning and have to get there with bicycle and everything, I am heading accross the Marmaris Sea to Bandirmas and will try to roads of Turkey. The 15th I have to be back in Istanbul for a flight home.