She says:

So, we've kind of hit a wall in our traveling. After almost three straight weeks of fending for ourselves in new timezones, cultures and across language barriers, as well as nursing a wicked flu and now a hideous ear infection, we have both found ourselves fantasizing about our own bed and familiar surroundings.

Istanbul is another enormous, overwhelming city that, while fascinating historically, never quite felt like it embraced us. For whatever reason, the people were standoffish to the point of unfriendliness and we found ourselves missing the warm Thai smiles.

Of our two and a half days in Istanbul, I did spend a lot of it convalescing. For the first time on the trip, I gave in to exhaustion and illness and rested for more than eight hours.

if Hong King felt like it was 30 years in the future, Istanbul feels like it 30 in the past. Fashion, commerce, design and service feel stuck in the past. There are still smoking areas everywhere, even a caged in patio at the airport. There are literally hundreds of odd imdependent clothing stores on the windy streets, and the shopkeepers sit I'm front of them, staring vacantly and waiting passively for business. I have no idea how so many similar stores all stay in business.

Disclaimer: I spent less than 12 hours out and about in Istanbul and I am so infected and drugged that I am sure my judgements are very influenced.

I had really been looking forward to Turkey, and likely that is a part of the problem.

We have an affinity for hop on hop off open air double decker tour buses and love that they help us orient ourselves in a new city. Our bus ride yesterday, although accompanied by thoroughly dry, though slightly propagandist narration, was really interesting.

One thing I did love about Istanbul was the way the stray animals are cared for. Don't worry, I've learned my lesson, and at Matt's insistence, have stopped petting them. The cats are well fed, chubby and have small clipped bits out of their ears. In Rome, the sterilized cats had a similar indication, and I'm assuming these guys are getting some sort of treatment. The stray dogs also look healthy and well fed and are tagged on their ears. Someone is keeping track of them. Also, we met a few people putting out food and water for animals.

Lots of young kids were working in main tourist areas, repeating their two or three English phrases to each tourist and breaking my heart.

The whole city seemed as pooped ad we were, with carpet vendors half heartedly tring to draw is into their shops and people sleeping in nearly every spot of shade. In fact, on our drive to the airport I saw several work crews having an afternoon nap in the shade of their trucks.

We are back in the airport and heading off to Antalya for just under a week. Hopefully, the next time we post, we will be refreshed and relaxed and I will finally be able to hear again.