East Meets West

Trip Start Aug 19, 2012
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Trip End Ongoing

Flag of Turkey  ,
Friday, December 7, 2012

So in the matter of hours, we moved from a third world country (Uganda), to a developing country.  And boy was there a difference.  My first few hours of being in Istanbul resulted in reverse culture shock.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  It was almost like being back home as we drove along the highway from the large, clean, advanced airport.

Our first few days in Turkey were spent in Istanbul, and our overall impression?  Beautiful at every corner, culturally and historically rich, and delicious food (can't beat fresh and bite-sized baklava, fresh turkish delight, flavourful meats, thick yogurt, salty cheeses...).  We even found a version of Cape Town's "Gatsby sandwich" in Istanbul!  So surprising.  Now I get why everyone I know who has come here has raved about it.

Our walking tour day was busy, but interesting.  And coming during slow season was a bonus as well as the beautiful sunny day we got the day we walked about.

We would highly recommend others visit this city.  You could spend a week enjoying the sights if you take your time to absorb it all.  And you would love it if you love history and culture.  And the baklava made us stop talking.  Yes, US, STOP talking.  Almost unbelievable.  
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