Shashkin Yaramaz

Right.. here we are. On the Taxim square. No sleeping place. Panic can arrive at midnight. For now we fullfill our duty to be properly amazed when entering a big city. An army of red flags cover all houses and suggest turkish people don't have minor value complex on their country. In hope to meet good people we join a couchsurfing gathering at a top floor bar. Whilst enjoying the amazing view over the old part of Istanbul we get in chat with Yahya. Our fantastic host and new friend .

From now on a difficult time began - being invited even for dinner and for the bus tickets we found ourself exhibited to his brilliant hospitality with no chance for escape. Being shown huge mosques, the grand bazar and BurgerKing our feet started to weaken more than during all our journey. In fact there is nothing better in this situation than a couple of chai's with an incredible view of the Bosporus.

But enough of the daytime. Nightlife called for us. With excitment we headed for the bars in Taxim to enjoy the one and only: Efes Pils..
which we know so well already from Berlin. As one can feel the millions of humans during daytime so can one now - streets flashing with light and filled with people wherever one looks. A melting pot for the young'ens of Turkey. Just as foodshops can be found on wheels or legs, so can everything else: getting your shoes shined whilst playing scratch cards or buying glowing princess crowns - everything is possible.

But there is more to nights as we head home.. dozens of fishermen on the bridge extract the ocean's delicious inhabitants, which barely leave the river before being grilled and served up from one of the many floating fast food joints. But even this is only a fraction of the troup that covers the bridge shoulder to shoulder during the day.

All good nights are followed by a good breakfast. While we enjoyed best turkish honey, chai, local cheese and olives together with Yahya and Mr. Akif the first mornings, they had to suffer the third day under burned bavarian bretzen. In general i filled these days with confusion and accidents and such found quickly to my new name shashkin yaramaz - little confused terror. But every terror has its ending and so does this one..


Thanks again Yahya for having a good lough and a brilliant time!