Route

Mountain Man

Heracleia, shores of Lake Bafa, Turkey.

Assos

We made it out of Istanbul this morning. Away from the cobble streets and minarets of Sultanahmet. Out west past the chilling soviet-style high rises of Esenyurt. Across the famed Dardanelles of Gallipoli, then south - sun-ward, ho! - through the pines to Assos.

It is gorgeous here. We walked back up the hill from the seaside where we are staying, and I ended up sitting on the side of a little pasture next to an olive grove watching birds (subalpine warbler, sombre tit, cirl bunting...) cruise over the Aegean.

I'm soaking up the sun, beating back the British pallor.


Above: Ferry crossing - Eceabat to Kepez. We thought we were going to end up in Canakkale, as did an Irishman on board, so we drove him into town. He called us "lads," talked rugby and was very appreciative.


Above: The road to Assos. Lesbos is the island in the background!


Above: The route.

Istanbul

What a cool place.

We are staying in the old section, the Sultanahmet, just down from the hippodrome and Blue Mosque in a little hotel with a roof deck. This morning we drank cappuccino up there in sun and watched the supertankers chug through the Bospherus.

Aya Sophia didn't disappoint. The space verges on vertiginous, and despite the best efforts of the Iconoclasts - who, apparently were anti-icon - there remain mosaics of worried looking biblical and political figures, including the pink-cheeked Empresses Irene and Zoe.

In the afternoon, on the recommendation of an Oxford friend, we took a tram to Taksim, which barely gets a mention in the guidebook. Its the height of New Turkey, with big buildings, fashionable shops and cafes, and a constant flow of hip young people. It was a good reminder of the size of this city of 12 million people, and how little we'll actually visit.

And the food: I can eat meatballs. All. Day. Yes!

Hotu Ona

I'm done for the term, and a headline from The Onion says it all: Area Dad Suffers Massive Nothing To Worry About

Perhaps its time to make a to do list?

Almost there!

This term has been a monster - hence the lack of posts. But, man, I'm almost there!

Macroeconomics exam on Wednesday, paper due on Friday, plane to Istanbul Monday.

Pic: Essay writing, Kate-style. Cut it up. Put it back together again. Only better.