Worth Missing Biscuits

So the flights were a tad long, I spent eight or nine hours in the Lovely Amsterdam airport. Though, I did spend a few of those hours passed out entwined in my luggage on benches. Those were good hours. But this time period allowed too much time for hunger, so I bought a small sandwich - and this was the point at which I learned prices were in Euros, and that Euros suck when one is carrying dollars. I then had an apple, some tea, and still hungry embarked on an epic search for cheap food. The closest find was Kit Kats, of which I bought a large pack and downed three in one go. They also came in handy later. Aside from Kit Kats, I had a few other random adventures, no people at the information desk, getting yelled at shortly in German for entering "NO ENTRY" places... buying a small one person size bottle of wine and drinking it out of a classy plastic cup cause I could, and not being able to figure out how to get into my gate... gates are only open during boarding- who knew? On to the last plane, my first encounter with the infamous Turkish hospitality. I was lucky enough to meet someone who has a son our age staying here. He was an older man, very friendly and when he found out that it was my first time in Istanbul he kept saying that he would take care of everything for me and to call if I needed anything. He proceeded to press 20 euros on me and gave me his number, made sure I got my visa and had someone waiting for me at the exit. It is good to have a contact in the city outside our group bubble.  But our group is awesome as well. Today we walked all around our neighborhood, saw Peruvian musicians dressed as Native Americans and singing on the streets for money, mangy cats and dogs roaming (I think they are lovely but as a friend put it, they'd gnaw off your extra limbs if you fell asleep near them) lots of chucks, and stunning architecture. We returned to the flat after getting groceries and stayed there for a while, we have amazing flats, the view from the terrace upstairs is incredible. And there is a bright yellow hammock there that I've taken to calling the Banana. A couple of us then went out to see the Bosporus and while we walked we saw dolphins jumping in the water! This is the same place were hundreds of people were fishing from above us, you have to watch out for lines and spillage from water buckets. We then returned to the apartments, up a fun 5 flights of stairs :-P, before our dinner adventure that took us to the HAGIA SOPHIA. and surrounding areas- but as I have an impressive headache the details will be in pictures coming to all of you soon. Good night!