We went to the flat today and it was a shock to see how it had changed. Many of the walls were now plastered, so it was bright and smooth, with clean lines. They had also built the bathroom wall – we are extending it as the original was a dark, dank, smelly little cubbyhole, and it wasn’t nearly as cramped as I had feared, though they have opened the doorway in the wrong place so will have to redo some of it.
After this we went to see a friend and as usual it was an odd affair. A famous lawyer popped up and was taken on a little tour of the place, including of the hamam with its gorgeous view across the Golden Horn and an amusing little pierced dome. We can’t have a view or a dome in our bathroom, but we are taking some inspiration from it. Another person appeared, a woman from the east of Turkey who was immensely friendly and a little crazed. She runs a small shop nearby so we popped over afterwards to buy some honey and pistachios, and were given a gift that honours the history of our formerly Jewish building. We also got a slight shock as there were sudden new expenses we hadn’t thought of, but such is the way. To be honest, I am rather worried that the plumbing with reveal new surprises when water and sewage runs through it after decades.