Things still go well in Istanbul. I extended my stay in the apartment for a
total of six weeks, making it the longest I’ve stayed in any one place over the
last year. Yep. I am definitely ready to be housed.
It wasn’t only the move (and those dreaded stairs) that
turned me off. I had a salad one
afternoon that did not agree with me. It
continued to remind me of its presence for DAYS afterwards. I could not imagine dealing with another
crazy cab driver, another trip through an airport, and another (albeit short)
plane ride to another part of Türkiye with my stomach loudly calling me names
the entire time.
After looking for alternative means of income and AGAIN
being rejected along with having the digestive issues, I took a week off from
looking for a job or taking classes. A vacation from my vacation, if you
will. I spent much of my time lying on
the couch. I totally blame my host,
Mehmet, for making all of his places so damn cozy.
Speaking of Mehmet, I had a couple of visits from him one
week to do some repairs. While the AC
was fine in my apartment, the one across from me was having issues. The balcony of my place has access to the
units on the roof so there were people traipsing in and out on two separate
occasions.
The ease of getting my HBP meds still amazes me. On one of my last trips to the city, when I
asked the guy if he carried the meds he said “Sure. How many boxes do you want?” Can I tell you how much that this is not the
norm in the states? To get my meds
there, I’d have to have a current prescription which requires a doctor’s visit
and, unless I want to pay through the nose, some decent insurance. Even then, there was no guarantee that the
pharmacy would have gotten the shipment.
It was just a hassle from start to finish.
It was easier when I was employed and had the mail in service. Though even then, I’d sometimes get substitutes
without warning. Or even worse, the drug
would be backordered and no one would bother to tell me. It’s not like I need this drug to LIVE or
anything …
On this most recent trip to the pharmacy, the lady didn’t even have to go to the back or check her computer. She just reached behind her and got the box. 185 lira for 28 pills – approximately 5.50 USD. That would be about $33 for a 90-day supply while I paid $125 as a co-pay for the same amount in the states. And while there are pharmacies everywhere in Istanbul, I just saw a report on how CVS and Walgreens are closing several of their locations in the U.S. Like the cost of the medication and the need for a car aren't obstacle enough, now people have to worry about being in pharmaceutical deserts.
While most things are still amazingly cheap things here, I
have noticed some effects of inflation. When
I first arrived a few weeks ago, a simit on the street cost 10 lira – the same
amount from last year. Now the price has
risen to 15 lira. The price of other products in the
stores have gone up as well though it’s still cheap compared to the U.S.
Though I’m familiar with the neighborhood and the surrounds by now, there’s always something new to discover. I usually take Galata Bridge over the Bosphorus when I want to get to Istiklal Street. One day I decided to walk past the string of restaurants underneath the bridge. I chose one for lunch and had a lovely meal (and an adult beverage) directly over the water while watching the boats go by.
About a week later, I went to the same place. One of the guys who worked there recognized me, shook my hand, then said “Cosmopolitan?” I could not believe he remembered my order! Granted, very few tourists look like me … but still. I do love when that happens.
Another alternate trail took me away from the shore and my
normal route by the Bosphorus. This one
ran underneath the car traffic and along the tram tracks. I had no idea the tunnel had this artwork all
along it depicting scenes from Turkish films over the years.
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