A further inspection.

View of the European side from my neighbourhood.

Having been in Istanbul for four days, I still have a lot to learn, although I have figured out how to get lost in Kadıköy, and then slowly find my way back home. Success!
Also, I have met more exchange students, despite the fact that some of them were leaving the country, and happily enough, some Turkish students as well. I have forgotten most of their names, but hopefully we'll see each other often enough for me to remember.

About my progress in speaking Turkish, I can now count from one to five, say 'hello', 'thank you', and 'foreigner'. And I've learnt that in Istanbul, jaywalking is an absolute essential skill in surviving. Otherwise, you will end up standing on one side of the street for an hour. Everyone is expected to jaywalk, even if there is a pedestrian bridge right next to you, and you have to cross four lanes of traffic, a tram-line, and then three more lanes of traffic. Oh yes, one more thing, cars and buses do not stop for you. Fun times!

Three yummy things I have been introduced to:
1. kokoreç - a sandwich made from lamb's intestines. Fucking delicious!
2. salep - hot milky drink dusted with cinnamon originally made from orchid tubers, but now it's just flavoured.
3. ayran - a drink made from yogurt mixed with water and salt. Tastes like sour cream.

I spent the weekend getting drunk, smoking too much shisha, visiting the Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Blue Mosque and the Yeni Mosque. We went to the spice bazaar on an afternoon filled with tourists from Hong Kong, and I quickly learned that the vendors speak perfect Mandarin, Japanese, Korean...among other languages.

The Kadıköy shore

Walking along the waterfront in the 'hood.

My little street!!!