Istanbul, Istanbul, Istanbul.... WOW, great city. But that later.

I'm in Dubrovnik. I'm stressed out and tired. I haven't been able to get to sleep before 2.30 and sleep later than 8. Not by activities, but rather some internal clock.

Dubrovnik: difficult, Not very friendly to backpackers, especially solo ones. Expensive and no hostels. I arrived last nite at 10ish, after a day long stopover in Zagreb. I used that to walk around the capital's center, through the very pretty parks. Croatians certainly know how to make beautiful public spaces, that's for sure. At the airport, I recognized two girls (from Brisbane) from the Istanbul flight, who also didn't have a place to stay. A brother and sister from NorCal were also looking too. Not a good idea to show up here without lodgings. It's a vacation town. We ended up together at hotel-like thing called a sobe like 20 mins by bus from Dub's Old City. it's nice, and so are the keepers... it seems like a decent deal. That was interesting, sitting at the airport trying to figure out what to do. The Americans ended up rooming together, and we stayed two nites. They were interesting: He had an odd sense of humor which I liked half the time and didn't ollow the other half.

Yesterday, went into the city, but had a lot of trouble enjoying it. I was so tired. I walked around; it too was a beautiful city... all walkwys, no cars, since it is at the bottom of a cliff. Most food was out of my budget, but I did have this HUGE calzone like thing (obviously good), and later on mussels. Ended up conked out in a museum for a while. Went home real early (8pm) because I couldn't function well. I guess I do get tired. The city is surrounded by walls, which you can walk along, but it was way too hot (probably another reason my functioning was impaired). I could perhaps see enjoying the city with a friend and more money, particularly at nite, since I left just as people were sitting down to eat and the restaurant hawkers were coming out. It has LOTS of cafes and bars, in fact almost all the streets were covered in them (and souvenir shops, of course)... Zagreb was like that too. When I had asked a couple of kids where to eat in Zagreb, all they could suggest was fast food. These establishments serve very little food, it's rather odd. But there are restaurants, just really expensive ones. Anyway, I heard the people watching at nite was amazing. The tourists leave and the partiers come in. Reports of women dressed to the nines, (whether fully clothed or barely clothed) makes me wish I was there. But the state I was in, and the inappropriateness of my clothes for such a situation, makes me kinda glad I missed it. if (when) I come back, I'll enjoy it by participating for the first time, with nice clothes, on a specific trip. Today, I decided that I need a day to chill out, and I'm in a good place for that. I went to a beach on the island of Lopud for the day, missing the 10am ferry, so I had to take the 1.30. It was still enough time. I did some reading, and hung out with a family from Vncouver who traveled a lot. It was very chill.

The Croatians seem nice, but not at the level of the Georgians or Turkish, They are too Western, the driving is rather tame, and don't seem to go out of their way to help you. i guess I have to get used to that again, as I can only assume it will get worse as I go north. There's nothing wrong with this, just a difference, in which I appreciate the antithesis of my own culture. I was only in Istanbul for two days, but I got used to people trying 'desperately' to entice you to their product, whether food or else. And I didn't even go to the Bazaar. Calls of "My friend, I can help you," "You want to eat here?" and "Come, look, I have what you want" gave me a sense of connection to the place I was walking through.

So back to Istanbul. Man, it's only been less than a week, but it felt like a long time. I left off when I had met a couple of guys. Well, i ended up hanging out with them the whole time. We got along so well, I thought I was back at school, just chilling and having good conversation. The Danish girls I mentioned, I only saw again the nite before I left, so they were the first and last people I talked to for an extended period.

Travelers have a philosophical spirit, they think with an open mind, and are keen on knowing and experiencing new things. And they like thinking about them. Dru (24), Lizan (27) and Tom (22) were like this. From Glasgow, Kuala Lumpur and Leeds, they had also met in Istanbul, rooming in the same dorm. Traveling creates a network of 'friends' knowing 'friends' around the world, sharing information, and meeting on the road. It's the new hippies. But there are few Americans that I have met, and if there are they are from Cali. Couchsurfing is trying to build upon this online, in the same way facebook built upon Buddy Lists. FB is a boon to travelers, I wish I had been insistent on getting info in Athens, but I learned.

So the first morninig, I went up to get ready to go with those boys, showering and laundry, but by the time I came down, they had left for the Grand Bazaar. I decided it was a lost cause and went to the Aya Sophia, then the Blue Mosque. As i took off my shoes outsie, I heard laughter behind me and a pat on the shoulder... it was them! Random or fate? I argue the latter, as always. Anywho, we ate, and then went to a Turkish bath, so a Scrub and wash massage. It was great. Afterward, just wandered around till Tom left. Then we went on an adventure for cheap food later at nite. Ended up running into a Rasta like guy from Morocco. He had called out "Rasta?" to Dru, cuz they bot had dreads. He'd been around Istanbul for a while and was working a hotel for a few days left. Was with a guy from Prague who liked to swear and was quite opinionated. He took us to this back street (it was right next to a restaurant walk, but learned that later) where I had delicious soup with free peppers (they have these amazing tiny hot peppers with great taste, and the burn goes away after 10 mins. and bread, and Coke... I've really started to like Coke and coffee for the first time in my life, drinking them every day. I figure I'll splurge for now, going to cafes to read, people watch and Internet (many have wireless.

Next day, I went to the Palace, which had some pretty cool stuff, but I paid for the Harem, which the guides suggest, but it was quite disappointing. We wanted to go to the Bazaars in the afternoon, but they were closed, it being Sunday... So I missed them. Oh well, next time. Wandered the streets around there and ate a few times: cheap street food. Then found an open bazaar and bought stuff. i got some amazing crunchy orange coated nuts... (if anyone knows what they are please tell me so i can buy them again) and Turkish Delight of course. These have come in handy or when I have been hungry in random situations. Next morning we all departed.

The Istanbul airport was easy to navigate, and the security check was quite amusing, because it was confusing. You don't have security checks to get to all getes, but rather they have a check for each 12 or so, beore that is a lounge where you wait for your flight to be called. I tried to go thru twice and they said, "Zagred? Wait." So i did, till the screens said last call. WHat was amusing is the way Westerners dealt with such a different system They would rush in, and stop, looking fo rhte line, but there wasn''t one, so they just walked to the scanner, and then got told to go back and wait. It's a much more effiecent system, I think, if people know how to use it.

As for technology, this computer doesn't hold a charge too well, since it doesn't fully charge, and has poor reception, tho i may have already said this, it is getting in the way of 'effective' use for communication. And I really don't like taking pictures. It takes away from the beauty of the place, and anything worth seeing cannot be captured in a pic. They are great for shooping (humorous photoshopping) and for promotional materials (as well as for embarassing facebook fotos. But for travel, I know people like pix, but there's nothing I really want to take, and I really don't know how to start developing my shooting skills with that attitude. my pics are for my amusement only, and I don't really know if I care to share them... fb is giving me issues anyway (I think because I have vids mixed in).

And for people: it's easy to meet fellow travelers, but I'm having a hard time with the locals (in getting to spend time with them). Acacia and Vince seem to be doing excellent in that regard, but they are hitching. (Reading her blog) This disconnect is all the more fruesterating because most of the Turkish girls and all the Croatians are gorgeous, The tourists also. There are NO fat people that I have seen, or at least no one so large it stuck in my memory. Certainly not women. There are thickly built people, like I think I described the oldder Georgians, but not super overweight. Here it is a beach culture, like SoCal and Oz, so pretty concerned with image, and that might explain the fat thing, but the girls are something else. I'm betting it will be the same for the rest of the trip too. But more tourists, thus decreasing the ratio, or something like that. Where are all these girls in American cities? Walking around, I rarely see really pretty girls, unless around a college, but school's out here.

Last nite, on the way to Split, to arrive really late again, I run into an Ecuadorian from Newyork wo suggested a place to stay and intro'd me to two other kids (Polish & Mexican) who were getting a really early ferry to Hravt. I was supposed to meet up with a person from couchsurfing, but it was way too late for that. So the three of uus talked and wandered around the town - they weren't sleeping. We happened on a park with a fountain next to Diocletian's palace. I thought it might be a good place to crash, it being a nice nite; there were some marble benches some people were laying on, and grassy spots. Found a backpacker couple in sleeping bags on a tarp, so lay down under the tree next to them. I slept well. But got up with them moviing around. She had had her bag stolen, the safety cord melted (with a lighter). They were from Edinborough, quite friendly. Told me Sloveni was nice. Gave me their sleeping pad and tent, as it was their last day, and they didn't want to bring them home cuz they didn't fit carry-on. Nobody bothered me. If I could meet other travelers that way, sleeping like that could be a good option.

Ancona ferry is $75, overnite (tonite or Sat, going tonite), I'll walk around bit, then catch a train to Firenze.

Took me three days to write this, LOL. And now, drinking a flavored Americano (I know, pretentiousness) at a portside cafe in Split, reading about the cities I'll be going, I hit my second wind, overcomng fatigue, stress and homesickness. I figure about 2 days in each city with the rest being train rides, for the scenery and Tolstoy. My pack i too heavy, and somehow losing room. Minipack ripped, so I want to buy a messenger bag, but suck at shopping. And the guide says I should have done this trip in June, before Georgia, but oh well, I'll get to see just how many tourists there are - good people watching?, and I'll learn how to (attempt to) budget during tourist season. I spent too much time in Athens an will spend not enough in central EU. But I guess that's better for my wallet... however I have feeling I will go over budget.

P.S. I wish I knew German, many people here and in Turkey know it better than English