That morning, a group of people were going to Prince's Islands, but I wanted to hang around the city of Istanbul. After all, I'd been in Istanbul for 3 days, and two of the days I spent NOT in Istanbul. Cody and Bri said they would join me on my walk through the city. So I waited for them... and waited... and waited...
During the time I waited, I talked to Fatiha from France. She asked me about my background. Sidenote. EVERYONE has asked me about my background. I could make a long laundry list of what people think I am. When I told her that I was Cambodian, she told me that she had been there and how sad she was about the history. We talked about it and since she was so emotionally attached to the experience, she actually started tearing up, which made me fele bad. I went to go get her some napkins and I met a guy Gorazd from Slovenia and George from the Channel Islands. I wanted to chat with them, but needed to get back to Fatiha, and we continued talking until she had to leave. The beautiful thing about traveling is that people really want to know you. They want to understand where you are from and are truly intrigued. Over tea, beers, backgammon, etc we learn about each other in a way that is so immediate and organic. Not contrived. The words just come out so easily because people are truly listening. It's amazing. I had never told so many strangers about my family history before. People were interested. More importantly, people knew what I was talking about. It was different then going into the sordid history and explaining all of the effects on my family and myself. To think, I could be French! And then where would I be now? Someone completely different...
After Fatiha left, I went to sit near the sun. I talked to Gorazd and George for a little bit. George is "giving it all up" and traveling the world for six years. He showed me his map, his journey, and where he plans to go. He's just motorbiking it through the world and snapping photos. During this time (with my trouble listening to his accent), I told him that I always dreamed of letting everything go and doing something like that. Not quite six years, but it would be great to travel. I told him about what I had been thinking-- how it is so easy for me to be rooted in the Bay Area (not that I am against it at all, but sometimes I just wonder if there's something else out there) because I am on this "career" path. He said that's why it was so easy for him to leave. He had nothing holding him back. Who knows what would happen during his six years. Maybe he would meet someone, he said, and his travels would all change. "Or you could meet someone and they'd want to join on your journey with you."
Wouldn't that be nice?
As I waited for Bri and Cody, Gorazd and I started talking about traveling. He showed up with no plans, two week vacation from work, and hoping to really get ideas from those around him. Completely organic traveling. We decided to go to the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. On the way, we ran into this Dutch guy and asked him to join us. We walked all the way to the bazaar to see that it was CLOSED! It's closed on Sundays! So the three of us ended up walking around looking for food instead. We had some food and had some interesting conversations about life, religion, and people. One thing I learned from this is that I do NOT have to like or agree with everyone. I already knew that. But, I always try and be as accommodating as possible. I had never before in my life met someone so arrogant. I didn't want to spend another moment with him. Luckily, he had to meet someone and had to leave, and Gorazd and I continued to explore Istanbul. Gorazd and I walked and continued to talk about traveling and I got to learn a lot about Slovenia and his life back at home. The walk was beautiful. We went through sequestered allies, along the water, and just saw as much of Istanbul as possible. Then we wanted to stop by and get some tea. We saw this tea shop along the way and made our way back to it. It was a Narghile and tea shop. It was full of locals. We sat down and ordered two teas. I taught Gorazd how to play backgammon. Backgammon is HUGE in Greece and Istanbul. I was glad that I was able to learn how to play. So I taught Gorazd and we enjoyed our time in a very Turkish place. When I went to use the bathroom, I saw a group of people playing Okey, so I asked the owner where I could get a set. He said the Egyptian Bazaar, for 20 Lira... so I was on a quest before I leave to get a set of Okey!
Gorazd ended up treating me to the tea and we headed back to the hostel for a siesta!
Afterwards, I went and hung out at the roof and met a French guy named Antonio. We ended up chatting and Victor found us to invite us to go down to the rocks. That evening, we decided to come back to the hostel and hang out with Bri and Cody, since it was their last night and they were leaving tomorrow morning to go back home. Cody and I continued to chat, and I did indeed find out he was a Libra. For some reason, our birthdays came up and I said to him, "you said something yesterday that made me think you were a Libra." We talked about being Libras, about life and about ourselves. We found that we were very similar. It was one of the best conversations I'd ever had about the world around us and how we viewed it. We seemed to just connect on a myriad of ideas amidst the drunken chaos. We talked about balancing life and making sure that everything and everyone was okay. Just like the justice and scales, we want what is good for everyone.
Afterwards we all went upstairs to the roof and got all nostalgic. Bri wanted to sing Leaving on a Jet Plane, so I led is in a group chorus.
It's amazing how in such a small moment in time, you can connect with people and open up about your life, hopes, dreams and fears to complete strangers who soon, in a moment, become your friends.
