A Day Trip to Budva

 

I saw as much of the Tivat as I could between bouts of rain.  When the sky appeared to stay sunny one day, I figured it a good time to find my way out of town for the day.

Uber doesn’t exist in the area, so it’s best to catch the bus or a cab.  I flagged down a taxi on the main road and asked him to take me to Budva. 

I mentioned in my last post that the one major road was cut through the mountains.  Unsurprisingly, when there is construction on that single road, the traffic can get ridiculous. There were delays on both trips to Budva and I don’t envy anyone having to regularly take that road during the day.

While Tivat is this peaceful little town with a harbor full of yachts, Budva has more of a touristy party town vibe.  I remembered passing through the town on the way from the airport and the place was jumping well into the evening.

When the cab stopped, I thought we were just stuck in more traffic since I didn’t see any signage for the café.  But, no, the ride was over.  He gestured vaguely to the left, but since he only spoke Russian, I didn’t understand what he was saying.  I paid him and got on the good foot.

I’ve seen some comments online about people lamenting how much travel has changed in the last few decades.  That it was more of an adventure to find hidden gems without seeing them first on the internet, how you were forced to figure things out without Google translate and easy access to money.  I do understand what they mean – it was a different time.  Having said that, I would not give up having a living map on my phone for anything in the world. 

The GPS came to the rescue once again as the café was in Old Town, much of which is not accessible by car.  The narrow stone walkways through ancient buildings reminded me of Portugal and the maze of Mykonos at the same time.  It was full of shops and restaurants, hotels, and hostels with loads of tourists wandering around.

The café itself was just a store with no attached restaurant.  After buying my shirt, I found a place on the beach for lunch.  Just outside of Old Town is a boardwalk curving around the water.  Plenty restaurants facing the boats for rent in the harbor.  I had a basic meal and a cosmo with a great view of the water. 

As per usual when visiting a place I like, I looked at pricing for apartments.  Depending on where you look, there are places as cheap as 380 euros for a one bedroom.  Two-bedrooms can be found for around 750 euros.  Of course, there are also plenty of luxury places for the billionaires and a lot of construction going on everywhere.  I’m not sure what the visa situation is looking like right now, but it might be worth a look.

Overall, I’m impressed with Montenegro.  I knew it would be pretty, but I didn’t expect it to be so affordable.  It even has a slight advantage over Türkiye as far as livability (Ah!  Sweet potatoes! Broccoli!  I missed you!).  The widely spoken English is a bonus.  But there are a couple of issues that I can’t overlook.

I checked a couple of pharmacies in Tivat and one in Budva for my pills, but it was a no go in both cities.  No immediate worries, though, since I’d already stocked up in Türkiye.  I just wanted to do a price comparison between countries.

While grocery stores and places of interest are in walking distance to my apartment in Tivat, getting out of the city does require a car.  There are buses, but their schedules are tricky.  Cabs, as I’ve mentioned, are not cheap.  There probably was another way to get around, but I just didn’t stumble on it.

It rains a lot.  I started my two weeks in the country wearing shorts and by the second week, I was in long pants.  The temperatures dropped fast in mid-September because of the rain.  But it keeps everything green and pretty so I can’t complain too much.

Also, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to mention this but, I did spot a rode by a dumpster one day.  This was near the harbor and the high-end shops, so I was a bit stunned.  Left me spooked for the rest of my stay.  And this was with all the stray cats and dogs around the area.

I had to leave for the states after my stay otherwise I would have liked to explore more of the country.  Dubrovnik, Croatia is right up the coast from Tivat so there is still much to see in the area.  I can see myself going back one day.

Tivat, Montenegro

The sun was setting as my flight landed in Podgorica (pronounced Po-go-rizza), Montenegro.  Then it was on to the usual routine of getting through passport control, gathering my bag, and finding a way to my new home for the week.

Just as quickly as I was able to check my bag with Air Montenegro, I sailed through passport control without even having to answer any questions.  Baggage Claim was a few short feet away and my bag was one of the first ones out.  So far, the country and I were getting along just fine.

Why choose Montenegro as my 12^th country on this journey?  A YouTuber I follow visited there and marveled at the beauty of the place.  I can stay for 90 days on a tourist visa and the flight took only 1 ½ hours from Istanbul.  The price of accommodations is about on par with Türkiye so I figured ‘Why not?’

Tip #1:  When visiting Montenegro, do not fly into Podgorica if you are staying in Tivat.  The city has its own airport.

I made this same mistake when travelling to the Big Island of Hawaii years ago.  I landed in what I thought was the only airport, but ended up on the wrong side of the island.  That meant a stupidly long drive while exhausted, at night, in a strange car, on a road that was only partially paved – in the rain.  I really don’t recommend EVER doing this.

In this case, landing at the wrong airport meant a stupidly long ride in the back of an expensive cab driven by another madman.  The road to Tivat is cut through the mountains and is the only way to go between the two locations.  This meant a lot of roundabouts, hairpin turns, and some admittedly stunning views of the cities in the valleys below, all done at breakneck speed. 

Seriously, Google maps had the journey taking two hours.  Dude got me there with half an hour to spare.

But I did just come from Türkiye.  I was more than accustomed to crazy cab drivers.

As we drove through small patches of civilization along the way, I kept noticing the number of people just walking along the roads.  Even in the areas that weren’t brightly lit and obviously commercial, there were pedestrians everywhere.  I asked the cabbie if that was normal, that it was safe to walk at night.  He assured me the place was pretty safe, no worries while I was here.  I have rarely been out at night in any of the countries I’ve visited, but it’s always good to know I won’t be a target as a tourist.

We finally arrived at Tivat and it came time to pay.  I had asked before getting in the cab if he accepted cards since I mostly had Turkish money on me.  I handed over my card – and it didn’t work.  Gave him another card which did work except the card machine asked for a PIN.  It was a credit card.  I had no idea what the pin was as I never used it for ATM withdrawals.  The other credit card had the same outcome.  So, none of my cards worked, I was in a strange country where I had no money, and I owed this dude 80 euros.

This was a nightmare.

After fumbling with all the cards multiple times and checking with my bank to make sure I had set a travel alert (I had), I finally asked the guy to take me to the nearest ATM.  I sat on pins and needles until we found a place, then got out and put my card in.

Can I tell you how sweet it was to hear the ATM counting out the money?  Huge sigh of relief along with a huge tip for the guy for his patience (that and the machine only gave out 20’s so I couldn’t give him anything smaller).

He drove me back to the apartment and deposited my bag in front of the door.  Even after getting paid, the sweet man was apologizing for the machine not working.  I told him I was just happy that my card worked and I could pay him.  I was seriously freaking out for a minute there.

Then it was on to the task of checking my phone for the front door code, wrangling my stuff onto the elevator, trying to figure out the light switches, and finding the apartment.  Outside of both my new home and the apartment across the hall were buckets full of umbrellas – not a good sign.  I didn’t want to spend the next week indoors because of the rain. 

The key was located in what the host referred to as an ‘acid box’.  What the hell does that mean?  I fumbled a bit with the electrical boxes on the wall until I figured out that she was referring to the umbrella bucket.  Is there acid in the rain?  Is that why it’s called that or does that just mean something different in the native language?  I don’t know.

All I knew was that I was wiped.  I took some time to admire the nicely appointed apartment, then took my happy behind to bed.

Thunderstorms woke me up the next morning, but the rain didn’t last too long.  Then it was off to explore.

Montenegro is a small country of about ½ million people, known for its coastal towns, several world heritage sites, and stunning natural beauty.  The currency is the euro while the language … is different.  I always thought, because of the name, that it would be a Spanish speaking country, but no.  Technically, the country has their own language called Montenegrin, but Google Translate doesn’t recognize that language.  The closest approximation is Serbian.  Montenegro is kind of an off-shoot of Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina so I think their language is something of a hybrid dialect. Fortunately …

Tip #2:  English is widely spoken in the country.

I’m always appreciative when someone (somehow) spots that I’m not a native-born Montenegrin and instantly switches to English. I am also still impressed at how easy that is for some folks.

While there are tourists from various countries wandering around, I was only one of three or four black people in the entire town.  No one stared at me like a zoo animal, though.  Actually, I got more stares in Istanbul than in Tivat.

(And I must apologize to the Montenegrin people – I will not be learning your language.  I got too much Portuguese and Turkish swirling around in my brain and there’s only so much I can absorb.  I can do ‘da’ for yes and cao (ciao like in Italy) for hello/goodbye, but that’s about it.)

Tip #3:  Tipping in restaurants is not expected, though it is appreciated. 

Additionally, the waitstaff give you the bill at the beginning of the meal.  It’s not like they are trying to get rid of you – they have the same laid-back attitude of the Turks.  If you do decide to order more, they will just print out another receipt.

And why wouldn’t you order more?  Prices for restaurants and grocery stores is pretty cheap.  Being able to go to a sit-down lunch, have a nice meal and maybe a cappuccino afterwards, and get change from my 20?  Awesome.  It’s not Turkish levels of cheap, but I’ll take it.  This is coming directly after paying over 20 euros for a meal at Burger King in Istanbul Airport.  I know airports markup their food, but that is ridiculous.  I don’t know how anyone is affording anything in the U.S. when fast food costs this much.

Yet in this cheap, beautiful country, the wealthy seem to gather.  Tivat is touted as the Monaco of the country because of all the high-end shops and extensive port. 

Oh.  Excuse me while I dock my yacht in Montenegro.

And I think this beast is actually a private vessel.  Holy crap!

The place is peaceful, nestled between the mountains and the Bay of Kotor.  I wouldn’t describe Antalya that way even with the mountains and ocean.  There’s just something about this place.

Goodbye Turkiye (for now)

 

With my 90-day Turkish visa about to expire, the search began again for a new home.  And though it took me a while to get used to Antalya, I’ve come to love it almost as much as Istanbul, making it doubly hard to leave the country this time.

Newsflash:  I really like Türkiye.

So it was interesting to see an article about the country adopting a new digital nomad visa.  The qualifications look good.  The country wants you to bring in $3,000 a month in salary OR have $30,000 in savings.  I don’t have the job yet (and the hunt for one remains a soul-sucking nightmare), but the savings part looks good.  Also, the other stipulations seem pretty reasonable though I need to do more research.  I still have my heart set on living in Portugal, but hearing news of this visa started me thinking about how great it would be to have a place in both countries.

I’m not rolling in dough like that, but it was still a nice thought.

Since I didn’t want to piss off the Turks by overstaying my welcome, I knew I’d better skedaddle.  Time to boomerang back to Portugal except ... I’m not sure what’s happening to the Airbnb prices there.  I really want to go home but finding a place to stay in Funchal for less than $100 a night is getting tough.  The mainland is no better. 

And, alas, I feel another trip to the U.S. is looming.  I don’t want to return but … mail and supplies and … whatever. 

The fact is, I really hadn’t intended to be nomadic for this long.  My life has become the definition of ‘winging it’.

On my last day in Antalya, I revisited a beachside restaurant called the Dubai Club for lunch.  Not only did the lady with the butt-length braids at the front entrance remember me from the previous week, but one of the waiters also remembered my order.  How did he do that?  I mean, I know I’m somewhat distinctive as one of the few black tourists in the entire city, but still …

The same waiter brought my bill later on.  I asked him when the place closed and he said the restaurant was open from 9 to 2 or 3 in the morning.  He works 10 to 17 hour shifts a couple of days a week.  When my mouth dropped open, he said he was young so he could handle it.  A beach in Antalya is a gorgeous place to work, and he was indeed a young guy, but that schedule is just stupid.

Before long, it was time to pack up and move again.  Grabbed an Uber/cab back to Antalya Airport.  Since this is a smaller airport, getting through the lines wasn’t too arduous, leaving me some time to wander around.

Can someone please tell me why there’s an Arby’s in the Antalya Airport?   Why?  McDonalds and Starbucks I can understand as they are everywhere.  But Arby’s?  Really???

Anyway, another 1 ½ hours back to SAW.  I grabbed another cab and headed for a hotel that was closer to Istanbul Airport for my next international flight.  Now, by this point, I had taken numerous taxis to and from both SAW and Istanbul into the city.  The cost was usually around 1000-1400 lira – approximately $30-$40 USD.  Imagine my shock when traveling between the airports saw the price almost triple.  Are you serious? 

That bill just added to the stress of the travel day even as I checked into the hotel.  The lovely receptionist listened to my woes, telling me I got scammed and offered me a cup of coffee. I declined, deciding to drop my stuff off and find something to eat.

The Fly Point Hotel is located in the Arnavutkoy neighborhood of Istanbul.  This is very much an in-between place for tourists needing access to Istanbul Airport.  There are a lot of hotels in the area and the restaurants have most of their prices in euros instead of lira.  I was still in lira mode so this surprised me more than anything else.

Taking a walk around, I was happy to see the mosques, flags, stores, and animals that are part of the Turkish experience.  The rest of the area was kind of industrial and not much to look at.  It just made me miss Balat and the Bosphorus.

A single night in the hotel, my last Turkish breakfast for a while (buffet style this time along with a cappuccino from one of those nifty coffee machines), then I checked out of the room.  I sat in the lobby of the hotel for a few hours as my flight didn't leave until around 6 p.m.

A quick (and cheap) Uber to Istanbul Airport and, after going through initial security, I checked the big board for my flight.  How come every flight was listed for several hours before and after mine and yet my flight was missing?  I kept checking my phone and checking the board but came up with nothing.  

Eventually I had to hit two information desks before I could get an answer.  Apparently, my flight had been cancelled and I'd been bumped to the next one leaving at 7.  After some more waiting for the ticket booth to open, I quickly checked my bag and got my ticket.

Even though my initial entry into the country was over a year ago (!), the experience is still quite vivid in my mind.  Because of that, going through Turkish passport control will always make me nervous.  But, once again, there were no issues.  I hadn't overstayed my time and the laws hadn't changed since entering the country.  Sphincter unclenched, I traveled the 20 miles through the airport to wait for my next flight.

Antalya Part 2

 

It took me awhile to adjust to the city, but I’ve come to appreciate it as a separate entity from Istanbul.  It amazes me that beach towns everywhere are similar regardless of the country.  It’s the palm trees, the laid-back atmosphere, the waitstaff dressed in shorts and comfy shoes.  Türkiye adds its own flavor with the vendors walking the beach selling Turkish pastries and corn on the cob.  Most of the restaurants on the beach offer hookah and shisha pipes that just adds to the chill out vibe.

I was able to extend my time in the apartment for a total of three weeks.  The host was good enough to give me a discount by paying in cash.  I always appreciate having to spend less money, but it meant doing the legwork to find the bills in USD.  There is a row of ATMS near the beach and some do offer other denominations.  Of course, I had to try multiple ones to find the USD, ran into cash limits, had to call the bank to make sure I didn’t hit any fraud alerts, give half to the host on one day and to his father on another day, yadda, yadda, yadda.  It’s all done now, but I’m still not sure if the discount was worth all the hassle.

It’s about 1 ½ miles from the apartment to the beach, an easy walk on the wide, still nearly deserted sidewalks.  The issue remains the heat.  Temps didn’t reach the 100-degree mark again (thank goodness), but it is still quite toasty in Antalya in August.  I quickly learned to carry a towel with me to mop up the endless amounts of sweat.

The beach is covered in restaurants, usually with a large sitting area right on the on the water.  I don’t usually hit these places because I know the prices are seriously jacked up.  Turns out, the couple of places I’ve visited so far, the food is not that pricey.  It costs around 10 bucks for time on one of the chaises.  But (unsurprisingly) the drinks are where they get ya.  I had a lovely cosmo on the beach that was about twice the lira I paid at a bar just off the beach.  Still, I could not resist the experience of relaxing by the Mediterranean with a nice adult beverage.  I even made a new friend one day.

The job search continues.  Since the search engines and job listings appear to be horribly broken, I try to find as many alternate sources of income as possible.  My writing on Medium has made me few bucks but nothing to sustain me yet.  I have to keep reminding myself that it’s a marathon and not a sprint and continue to be grateful for every new subscriber I get.

In trying to find a new source of income, I decided to open an Instagram account.  Nothing major, just thought I’d post some of the travel photos and videos that didn’t make it to this blog.  I went through all the steps to open the account, not really knowing how to proceed after that, and shut the program down.  A few hours later, I got someone trying to message me on the program. 

Guess.  Just guess who it was.

If you said Zaza, you get a WHAT THE HELL IS MY LIFE RIGHT NOW?!!!??

Hours!  I’d had a profile on the website for hours!  The only picture I posted was a profile pic, a rare selfie I took in Istanbul last year.  How did he clock it so quickly?  Why is he clocking it at all?

Please note: I have not seen this man in person since last July.  I last spoke with him in September when I broke it off.  He’s tried to text and call a few times since then but I can’t remember the last time he did.  Now, a year after our last meeting, on an app I’ve never been on and didn’t know he was on, I get a message.  He was my first subscriber.  WHAT THE HELL!?!?!?!?

I realized only later that the program taps into WhatsApp and, of course, it picked up Zaza’s name along with one of my former hosts.  It also brought up my brother’s name as a possible connection – someone else I haven’t spoken to in a long time (and don’t care to speak to again).  This is somewhat disturbing and just reminds me why I avoided social media for so long.  I’m not sure opening the account was the best idea.

And I just wanted to post some travel pics …

A last note:  Lisbon experienced the biggest earthquake it’s had in a decade on Monday 8/26/24.  Fortunately, there weren’t any deaths and very little damage.  So good to hear.  I think I’m headed back to Portugal soon.

Antalya

 

Well.

I had to leave Istanbul eventually.  I guess.

The reason I was able to stay in that apartment for so long is because it was (inexplicably) available for weeks at a time.  And boy, was it tempting to just stay there until my 90-day visa expired. 

But I told myself I would explore more of Türkiye on this visit.  So … I guess I’m packing up and getting on another plane.

Yay.

Getting my big suitcase down those stairs (!) left my right arm sore for days afterward.  Using an Uber/cab to get to Sabina Gokcen airport (the city’s smaller airport with the call letters SAW) had me feeling that same melancholy of leaving Istanbul again.  Waiting in line at the airport to check my bag when the kiosk(s) refused to acknowledge my reservation was exhausting.  Getting to the end of that line, having the woman wave me over (at least, that’s what I thought she was doing), and then immediately leave her desk left me standing there looking like a goober for several more minutes before getting some help.

So yeah.  That was a bunch of fun travel stuff.

I want to go back to Balat.

But, instead, it was onto a new place.  Which is a good thing.  Right?

The flight from SAW to Antalya took about 1 ½ hours, an easy trip.  After waiting too long to get my bag, I grabbed a cab and proceeded to my new home for the week. 

My first impression of the city: this is really not Istanbul.  I know that is an obvious statement to make.  Istanbul is an ancient, unique city and there was no reason for me to think that the rest of Türkiye would look like one city.  But still … this place was a shock.

The wide tree-lined streets, the blocks of modern apartments, the lack of pedestrians on the sidewalks – all of it had me staring out the cab window in shock.  And then there are the mountains.  They are freaking gorgeous!  I can’t get over them.

My new host provided a picture of the building, which helped tremendously as most of the buildings in the area look alike.  The apartment is located above an Eczane pharmacy.  No, not that one.  The closer one (seriously, those pharmacies are EVERYWHERE – I think there are more branches of drugstores than there are grocery stores in this area).  I got inside without issue and into the elevator.  And then the confusion began.

The apartment was #14 on the 5^th floor.  But the elevator only goes up to 4.  Okay.  Got to the fourth floor and noticed that there was another set of stairs going up.  Really?  Here I was so grateful to be in a building with an elevator after having to deal with those horrible stairs in Balat.  Now you still want me to lug my stuff up an additional flight of stairs?  What did I ever to do to you, Türkiye?

Oh, but the fun didn’t stop there.  #14 was at the end of the hall.  The host had sent another picture of the set of two pipe fittings where the key was located.  Took me a minute to find them, then I spent another ten minutes trying to fit either one of the two keys into the two locks.  All of this while sweating buckets in a hallway where the motion-detecting lights keep flicking off after a few seconds, leaving me to figure things out in near darkness.  Sigh.

After some text exchanges with the host, taking breaks to wave my arms around like a madwoman to get the lights to come back on, I finally got the door open … only to find that the apartment was even hotter than the hallway.  It was like entering the gates of hell – if hell was a spacious one-bedroom with a killer view of the mountains.

Unfortunately, with the air conditioning off and the blinds open, the blaring sun had super-heated the place.  I scrambled for the A/C remote before doing anything else.  I took the picture above (ooohh pretty) then quickly closed the blinds.  I think those puppies need to stay shut for the duration of my stay.

I knew from the picture on the website that I wouldn’t like the light gray wood flooring, but I love the gas oven and stovetop.  Though I wasn’t thrilled to realize there was no microwave and the electric kettle didn’t work.  Added to my other issues with the place and I just had to shake my head.

Admit it, Turks:  someone was on the hookah when they designed this building. “Yeah, dude (or the Turkish equivalent of dude)!  Let’s make a building with 7 floors have an elevator that only works on five of ‘em.  Keep everyone on their toes.  And why bother putting a toilet paper holder in the bathroom?  Who really uses paper in that room anyway?”

Complaints aside, it’s not a bad apartment.  I might just extend my stay to stave off another trip to the airport so soon.

With my stuff stashed and evening fast approaching, I got on the good foot to explore my new surroundings and find something to eat.  As is my way, I headed toward the water, the main draw bringing me to this city.

Antalya sits on the Mediterranean coast and has the air of a seaside city.  Walking along the wide, nearly deserted sidewalks just added to my sense of displaced weirdness.  The place feels like part Portugal (the high-rise apartment buildings) and part Cyprus (the shoreline) with a sprinkle of Sunny Beach, Bulgaria (the lack of foot traffic).  Throw some Turkish flags around and the occasional stray cat and you have Antalya.  It is very weird.  Not bad.  Just weird.

And why are there goats?  Who do they belong to?  Why, after seeing them once, have I not seen them again?  Where did they go?

Why, on my first day, did I already miss Istanbul?

(Man, has that place got a hold on me!) 

The first restaurant that I stumbled on turned out to be more high-end than I thought.  While I had a simple meal of shrimp followed by a piece of cheesecake, the restaurant offered something for the more luxury minded diner.  Their Gold Tomahawk Steak King Size went for 19,000 lira.  That’s $565 USD.  For a piece of meat with gold on it.  Meanwhile, taking a picture of the menu was absolutely free!

Walking back to the apartment in the dark, it struck me again that I wasn’t too concerned about crime.  Sure, I was in new territory and was an obvious tourist, but the Turks were as uninterested in me in Antalya as they were in Istanbul.  I ended up approaching the lone mosque in the city just as the call to prayer rang out.  I was relieved to hear that sound. It wasn’t as epic as the experience of walking along the Bosphorus and hearing the call from all sides, but it was still good to hear.

It is punishingly hot in Antalya.  I noticed it the moment I stepped out of the airport.  Even Istanbul wasn’t this hot and at least there was a breeze.  But being on the Mediterranean in August is an entirely different animal.  On my first full day, I went exploring after breakfast and it didn’t take long before the sweat was dripping.  Even my phone began to overheat and I’d barely touched it.

By Saturday, 8/17/24, the temps reached 100 degrees F by 11:15 a.m.  That struck me as a good reason to stay inside to get some writing done.  Under the air conditioner.

The Joys of Staying Put (Turkish Edition)

 

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. 

                            Not exactly a memory for the ages, but I thought the sky was pretty that day.

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.

Getting Comfortable in Balat

 

My Airbnb host, Mehmet, is very familiar with me by now.  With all his properties in total, I’ve stayed with him longer than I’ve stayed anywhere else during this journey.  Since lucky #7 was booked right after my stay, I arranged to stay in the building next door.  I initially booked it for only a couple of weeks but extended it to the entire month of July once I saw the place.

Not to even mention the fact that apartment #5 is at the top of a series of windy, stone stairs that I did not relish having to navigate again so soon with all my stuff.

All of these apartments have the same basic look, but they are all slightly different in their layout.  This is the first of Mehmet’s places that has a balcony (two, actually, but the door to the bedroom balcony is locked).  I loved the view and the breeze coming off the water.

While the apartment is as lovely (if smaller) than the other two places I’ve stayed in Balat, it did have some … issues.  The day after moving in, I did a load of laundry.  Pretty standard stuff until the cycle ended and the door wouldn’t open.  As this was another machine with the instructions written in Turkish, it was time to consult Google.

Apparently, I’d overloaded the machine and it refused to drain the water.  The door would not open while the machine was full of water (most machines in Europe have been side loaders).  Thus began the ever so fun process of manually draining the water from the bottom of the machine, something I have never had to do in my life.  In a brand new (for me) apartment.  Using a towel and a glass to try to catch the seemingly never-ending stream of water spewing out of the hole onto the hardwood floor.

I just wanted to clean my clothes.

It took FOREVER.  So much water.  But eventually, I drained the machine, put it through another rinse cycle (I wanted to just spin the clothes but, again, Turkish instructions), and ta da!  The door opened.  I’ve never been so happy to see my clean drawers again.

Then the dread set in.  I’d be in the apartment for awhile and I would have to do the laundry again. 

Later that afternoon, the power went out.  This is the first time I can recall where I’ve had power disruption in Istanbul.  I guess that’s a pretty good track record but it’s never fun to experience.  I napped during the outage (the short but brutal travel from the day before caught up to me – those stairs will haunt my nightmares), only to be awakened a couple hours later by a beeping coming from somewhere in the apartment.  Some sleuthing led me to the fridge.  Opening the door, I saw a blinking light and a button that needed to be pushed to stop the beeping.  Okay.  That was new.

While my love affair with this city continues, there are some things that remind me that this could not be my home for an extended period.  The thing is, even with the number of times I’ve been to this country, I still feel like the alien.  It’s not just the language barrier or that there aren’t many black folk here.  It’s seeing the women in the burkas and worrying about showing my legs in public.  While it’s not as hot this year as it was last year, it’s still warm enough to wear the shorts so I will be wearing them.  No one really cares as there are plenty of natives also wearing shorts or short skirts, but it’s still in the back of my mind.  Nothing says ‘tourist’ more than being a tall black woman wearing shorts in Türkiye.  At least that’s how I see it.

There’s also the issue with scammers.  I read a lot about Istanbul last year.  One of the common scams in the city is for a man to pass by you while walking and drop a brush.  When you pick it up and try to return it, the man engages you in conversation which eventually leads to him offering to shine your shoes for a fee.  The dropped brush has happened to me three times (so far).  The first time I picked up the brush on instinct, but simply returned it and kept walking while he called after me.  Dude, I’m wearing sneakers.  Let’s be real.

The last two times happened during this most recent trip while walking the same road.  I was proud of myself for not even breaking stride while ignoring the brush.  I still wasn’t thrilled at being targeted again.  I don’t know that anything will stop that other than donning my own burka. 

Yeah.  That’s not happening.  I feel overheated just looking at those women wearing all that cloth.

I’ve also been rather aggressively approached by children a couple of times.  One kid followed me for several feet while holding out a bottle of water despite my waving my hand to ward him off.  Another little girl approached me while I was walking along the Bosphorus and stood in front of me with her hand out, walking backwards while I tried to get around her.  I really don’t like that.  I don’t like anyone seeing me as an easy mark.  Seriously, just leave me alone.

I know I'm now speaking as a spoiled American, but I have to mention this.  While the grocery stores are close by and plentiful, the selection leaves something to be desired.  Namely broccoli and pecans, both staples of my diet.  Even my beloved Granny Smith apples can be difficult to find.  I've already consigned myself to live without kale once I move abroad (I have yet to find it in any of the countries I've visited), but I really miss the other things.  Fortunately, I can find those items in Portugal (scoring it yet another point).  Still no kale, though,

But there are a few good things happening as well.  This summer hasn’t been as hot as it was last year.  There’s even been a breeze on most days.  I still don’t recommend coming to Istanbul in the summer if you’re not ready for the relentless heat but, from all accounts, other parts of Europe have had it worse this year.

I shared a picture in a previous post of all the construction going on in the city.  Well, here it is a few months later and a lot of work has been completed.  There are now actual sidewalks leading to the city center.  You have no idea how awesome that it.  I still remember walking from Balat to Sultanahmet last year and spending half of the time in the street dodging cars because the sidewalks were barely there.  Or there were cars parked on the curb, or chairs set out in front of cafes, or any other number of obstacles that had to be skirted around and negotiated with other pedestrians.   You can clearly tell that I’m not the only one to appreciate the nice, level walking surfaces.  The pavers have only been in place for a few months and they already look like they’ve been there forever.

The work is ongoing so walking can still be … interesting.  But I’m glad to see the city’s commitment to getting the job done.

One last note.  I found a new favorite place for breakfast in Balat.  I’d eaten at this place last year but had yet to experience the beauty of the back deck.  I think the owner is French as I’ve seen a man walking around with an accent a few times.  It’s just such a pleasant yet strange sensation to be a black American woman eating Turkish breakfast in a bright sunny space while French music is playing.  Doing it international style, baby!

From Cyprus to London to Atlanta to Istanbul

 

After a short layover in Heathrow, it was time for another trip across the pond.  This one was noteworthy because of my row mates.  I was seated next to an Indian couple who didn’t speak English.  I was on the aisle and became the intermediary between them and the flight attendant. I know exactly zero Hindustani, so I just pantomimed everything the attendant said (make sure the seatbelt was on, give me your trash, put up your window shade, etc.).

But still, any flight you can walk away from is a good one.  Then it was onto the usual rigamarole: collect bag, take international shuttle to rental center, procure vehicle.  I had once again forgotten to reserve one in advance, so had to settle for whatever they had that was cheapest.  No sedans were available (I still doubt that) so the only thing they could give me was this white Toyota Tank – I mean Tacoma.  

Unless you’re regularly hauling buffalo, why would anyone need something so big?  That thing is a monster!  Everything about it was a hassle: backing it up, trying to park it, or even setting the parking brake (it took me a while to realize it was automatic).  The cab was so far off the ground that, even with my long legs, I practically had to take a running start to get into the thing.  I’d often forget to lock it – a definite no-no since it had a push-to-start ignition.  I’m sure Budget could locate it if stolen, but I didn’t want to test out that theory.

I couldn’t get into the Airbnb I stayed at in Roswell, so I picked a new place in fair Woodstock that had good ratings.  The apartment was in the basement of yet another way too big house in a labyrinthine suburb with narrow, winding streets.

This is a nice place.  The host’s attention to detail rivals Demetris in Cyprus.  There were snacks on the counter, water and seltzer in the fridge, and a bunch of helpful amenities in the bathroom.

There was a nice big tub for doing my henna treatment, a comfy bed, and plenty of space to move around (I’ve been in one too many cramped European apartments).  I appreciated the hardwood floors and lack of carpeting in the place.  I was always a carpet enthusiast because my homes/apartments had always had them.  But after a year abroad, I really do prefer the cleanliness of wood. 

There were a few issues, though.  The host was at home and frequently stomping on my head.  The stomping only increased on that Saturday when the host's daughter held her baby shower.  The place needs a cooktop (even a wretched induction one) as the only thing available is a small hotplate that I didn’t even bother to use.  Somehow, I also neglected to check in the listing for a washer/dryer, having assumed that an American apartment would automatically have one. But other than those things, it’s a great place.

With nowhere to wash my laundry, I had to find a nearby laundromat.  Now, I have always hated those places.  They’re usually pretty scuzzy and full of … interesting people.  But I gotta admit that this place was legit.  It was clean, brightly lit, and surprisingly modern.   The machines don’t even take cash anymore.  Everything is done with a rechargeable card that you can purchase and put money on with a credit/debit card.  Fancy schmancy. 

Once my business was done, it was yet again time for another butt-numbing trip to Europe.  Back to the familiar, until I can again return to Portugal, I set my sights on Türkiye.  Lucky #7 in Balat was available for little over a week, so that’s where I headed.  What can I say – I’m a creature of habit.

Things have changed somewhat since my last visit.  Being in the city, my body automatically remembered that the first call to prayer is at around 6:45.  Except … I woke up the first morning and there was nothing.  I thought maybe I’d missed it.  But the next day there was nothing again.  Huh?  I always thought this was an ancient schedule that didn’t change seeing that the 1:10 call came as usual. 

Then, on my third morning I was awakened by the call – at 4:30 a.m.  Huh?  Was the call leader trying to make up for the previous couple of days?  What was going on?

I am happy to report that a week in the states did not affect my digestive system this time.  I tried to stay away from processed foods and ate salads every night, so I think that helped.  Unfortunately, I wasn't in the country long enough to reset Google Fi on my phone.  I was not happy to land in Istanbul and have zero service.  At least I had an unused esim already loaded and ready to go.

I've seen a few commercials for other points of interest in the county.  As this is my fifth return to Istanbul and I'm starting to know the city backwards and forwards, who knows?  I might even get out of the city this trip.  We'll see.