A fairly satisfying sort of day today as we did a fair number of errands. First, we met our old estate agent at the new flat to look for electricity and water bills so they could be transferred over to us. We dutifully started by having a cup of Turkish cay each at the tea […]
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Childhood dreams
I dreamt last night that I was in a broom closet and received a lightsabre. In the dream I was delighted, recalling my plastic toy lightsabre when I was little (ok, not that little), but this one was real. Lots of people came into the broom closet to admire it, including Oprah Winfrey. Then I […]
No phones
Both of our phones have turned over and died due to various tedious reasons. Ah well, we did without mobile phones for half my life, and without data for three-quarters, so I daresay we’ll manage. It was a working day for me, though the GF ran a few errands and then I met him in […]
Three mosque day
It was a working day for me, though not for the GF, but when he said he was planning a tour of the mosques of Fatih, I of course joined him. So we took the metro to near the Istanbul University with its startling metro station, and went first to the Kalendarhane mosque. This is […]
Morning in America
The GF said today that the Trump’s tenure has been rather like having a car alarm go off outside one’s window – the especially vile sort of alarm which changes tone and type so you can’t ignore it. Now, the alarm’s been turned off, and it really feels like that blessed first few minutes of […]
Indeed
From Metafilter, on the American Dream.
This is America
I have just watched Trump’s speech. Even if, at this point, Biden wins the presidency, this was another moment that marked the end of America. Maybe the moment. This election has also made it quite clear that when my American friends said that Trump’s is not the real America, that was nonsense. This is the […]
The landed gentry
This morning I woke early, as we were moving flat. Away from the mosquitos, the dripping fridge, the foetid kitchen sink, the oddly placed shower. Off to Galata, to the same building we lived in when we first arrived in Istanbul, but a lower floor. Also, no hot water, for there was none this morning […]
Syria town
After the drama of yesterday, today we decided on a quiet day’s exploration. So we took the tram to the other side of the Golden Horn, past Aksaray, to areas new. This is a very Syrian part of town and I’d heard of a fine Syrian restaurant there; from there it was only about 20 […]
Foiled
This morning, we were told, the appointment would be arranged for the afternoon. We would have to go to the bank to arrange payment, pay the taxes and turn up at the appropriate government office, hand over the payment, attest that we did indeed intend to buy this specific property at this specific price, sign […]