I don't wanna play! :-(

I hate having my photo taken. It feels so corny, say cheeeeeeze! And my face does weird things in photos, my eyes become Chinese, my mouth can only fake smile, it's all hideous really. I'm definitely a behind-the-scenes kinda person. I have never understood people who love having their photo taken. And then I went to Istanbul for 5 (FIVE!!!) whole days with not one, but TWO people who love having their photo taken.

People who love having their photo taken are like people who love cats.
Cat person: "And this is Mr Whiskers /(insert any dumb cat name, cats never have cool names), say heeeelllloooo!" *human waves cat's paw*
Sensible person: "Um. I don't like cats"
Cat person: *confused look* "Are you allergic?"
Sensible person: "No, I just don't like cats"
Cat person: "But he's sooooo cute!! Here, hold him"
Sensible person: "Um, no thanks"
Cat person: "But he's so lovable, just hold him and you'll see, you'll love him!"

Photo people are the same, they are convinced that if they can just get you to pose for a photo you will love it and want more taken! They will love any photo of themselves, even a bad one, it's as though they lack the self critical receptor as well as the see-things-as-they-really-are gene. Maybe my view is clouded by too much photoshop and abnormally gorgeous models.

It started from day one of our trip. Take my normal camera unwillingness and add THREE huge fever blisters to my lip (they were so big that Glykeria laughed at them on the Saturday night, and when she woke to the horror they had become on the Sunday morning she took one look at me and went to get takeaways from her parents house - we were invited for lunch but she knew better than to unleash my beastliness on the rest of Athens. True story). So I REALLY didn't want a photo of me, yet they persisted, and I perfected my hand-face-paparazzi-avoid pose. The downside of not having your photo taken is that you have to take the photos....





I have hundreds more.... :-)

Glykeria was determined to get a pic of me and took this sneaky one, yes I was feeling sorry for myself that day!


On the last day Athanasia kept hassling me about not having pics of me in Istanbul, she gave me some speech about making my parents happy, so I sighed heavily and let her take one of me while we were waiting for the tram
See? Chinese eyes and fake smile. Thank god the fever blisters had calmed down by then!

.

The best of both worlds

Istanbul is the only city in the world that is situated on two continents - Europe and Asia. The two continents are connected by the Bosphorus bridges. The Bosphorus is a large river that divides the two sides of Istanbul. There is a Greek saying, roughly translated,"I need to drink the Bosphorus", when times are tough others need a drink but the Greeks need a river full of alcohol!

Both sides of Istanbul are equally interesting, lots to see and do. And no just because its Asia it doesn't mean there are a lot of Chinese people there *acts like she wasn't expecting to see a China Town in Istanbul*


.

The best advert in Istanbul

Dentist + Istanbul = Dentistanbul! Genius!

.

Birthday on the Bridge

We arrived in Istanbul on Gykeria's birthday so of course we had to go out and celebrate. Galata Bridge is a double level bridge with restaurants/coffee shops underneath and a road on top. We decided to make our way from one end to the other to see what was on offer before deciding on a place to go to. It took ages!!! As we walked past each establishment we were wooed by the employees and promised special discounts, it was almost impossible to walk away, we landed up pulling each other out of their clutches (of course we enjoyed every minute of it!)
Turkish man: "Hello my beauty, come come, I give you special price, delicious food, come come, beautiful girls, oh so beautiful! I give you flower"
He proceeded to fold a serviette into a rose!


We oohed and aahed and were about to sit down when we heard someone calling us:
Turkish man from next door restaurant: "My lovey ladies, that is a paper flower, I give you real flower, come come beautiful ladies, I give you special price, come come"


Ching... chong... CHA! Paper beats actual. Why? Because the paper guy promised to give us a cake! We really are cheap dates.


Not only did we get cake but fruit and fire too! *shrugs* who knows why the fruit comes with fire!


AND we got "3 flowers for 3 princes" we assumed he meant princesses.


Just when we thought it couldn't get any better a little band popped out of nowhere and starting singing happy birthday! This was the best unplanned party ever!

The Bastard of Istanbul

This book is an absolute must read for anyone who has been to Istanbul. Elif Shafak's style of writing is amazing, her words paint pictures in your mind and will make you feel as though you are actually witnessing the story unfold in real life. I wish I could write like her.

Elif Shafak is an award-winning novelist and the most widely read woman writer in Turkey. Have a look at her website, http://www.elifsafak.us/en/default.asp.

I found this book at the Exclusive Books sale, I saw the word Istanbul and headed straight to the till, I didn't care what the story was about or if it turned out to be the worst book I had ever read, I simply needed to satisfy the Istanbul longing in any form possible. I was delightly surprised, I couldn't put the book down...it's is my new favourite!

.

The Istanbul Chapter... it's time

Since I have been back in S.A I have neglected this blog, mainly because each time I try to update it I am reminded of the amazing times I had last year and I end up having a little pity party for myself. But I am pleased to announce that Mission Patrida a.k.a The Return to Greece is officially underway! The past two weeks have presented me with an insane amount of opportunity and motivation to get back to Greece, I had intended to start blogging all about my exciting plans but have been warned against the Mati.... I'll keep it on the down low until I have definite plans. So blogging has been on my mind and while driving home the other night I spotted a car with the number plate 'Istanbul'..... I want that car! And then it dawned on me that exactly a year ago to the date and time we were packing our bags for Istanbul! That is definitely a sign! A year late, but I pronounce the Istanbul chapter officially open.

Note the nails in the photo, that's my version of the Turkish flag.

.

The fanciest taxi in Crete

We planned to spend the day at the beach and called for a taxi. 10 minutes later a big, shiny, black mercedes roared up the street.
"Is that our taxi? Seriously?"
Leather seats, sheepskin covers up front, dvd screens in the back. We hopped in and wished our flip flops were stilleto's and that we looked like fhm models in our beachwear. This taxi was too fancy for little old us staying in a tiny quaint village.
The taxi driver Antonis was super friendly and had lots of advice to give us. He overcharged us, a lot, but we enjoyed his company so much that we called and specifically asked for him each day. When you are in Crete, in the Agio Nikolao area call Antonis Taxi.

I asked if I could take a picture of him and his taxi, he refused and said that he would first get the car washed and only then could I take a pic. Here's a pic taken the next day, he arrived and pulled out a chamois cloth for a quick touch up before I took it!

Each day Antonis had some advice and wisdom to impart on us, my favourite: "A friend is someone who buys you a drink, an enemy is someone who insists you drink", it sounds better in greek but I'm having trouble loading the video...


.

An m'agapaaaaaas

This man is a god. This song has got to be the anthem for summer 2010. *sigh* I wish I was in Greece now

The cure for all of Greece's problems

I am certain that a long time ago some clever little salesman practised his speech and then addressed a bunch of greek housewives.... his miracle product would cure all sorts of ailments, it would stop husbands from straying, it would get kids to eat broccoli, it would ksematiasei you, it was indeed a miracle.

Fast forward to the age of civilisation and technology - nothing much has changed. Greeks swear by Depon. I tried to get some flu medicine, apparently nothing of the sort exists in Greece, everyone recommended Depon, they strongly recommended it, actually they kind of insisted more than recommended. After the fires in Athens during which my aunt's chickens narrowly escaped a crispy death, she would dissolve half a depon in their water daily, to help with the trauma. Curing traumatised chickens?! Chickens get traumatised?! That must have been some speech the clever little salesman gave.

Depon is the all powerful cure. In Depon we trust. I bet you the entire Greek government is overdosing on Depon daily and scratching their heads wondering why the debt crisis hasnt been sorted out yet.

So what is Depon? The greek equivalent of Panado. Seriously

.

You don't know Jack

Try and order a Jack & Lime in Greece. At best you will get freshly squeezed lime juice, at worst concentrated lemon juice. No matter where I went in Greece there was no lime cordial to be found.
"Peite mou"
"Jack and lime parakalo"
"E??"
"Tzak me lime"
"Tzak me lemoni?"
"Oxi, tzak me lime, L-I-M-E"

*holds thumbs*
"Oriste, tzak me lemoni"
*sigh*

I've been back home for almost 6 months and only now stumbled across www.sastore.gr and what do you know they sell Rose's Lime Cordial! I would have gladly paid the 5,5 euro, if only I had known! The next time I visit Uncle Jack in Greece I'll be sure to pop past the SA store first.



.

I'm on a roll - more published work

Have a look at my second published review. Now the pressure is on to keep writing them!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2558063/the_grand_bazaar_istanbul_turkey.html?cat=16

.

Clever me - my first published article

Check out my first ever review published on the net:

Istanbul - a Greek South African's Experience
My Greek family insisted that I never step foot in Turkey as Istanbul rightfully belongs to Greece; none of us were to go there until the city was given back to us!
Read More

Lost in Travel Agent Translation

In order to go on the Athens-in-one-day cruise I had to get to the port of Pireaus and find my boat. Here are the directions from Niko the travel agent...



Wtf right? But despite my fears I didnt get horribly lost!