Day 1 - Istanbul

Our Room at Kybele hotel.
Day 1 started around 3 pm when we arrived at Ataturk airport. We took the light rail then changed to Tram and it got us to Kybele Hotel in 40 min. Kybele was amaziıng with friendly Vefa at the front desk waiting for us and welcoming us. It was the coziest most intriguing boutique hotel I have ever stayed in.

The hotel dining room.

Mike, the owner of the hotel is an antique collector. Over the years, he's collected all sorts of lanterns which he used to decorated every inch of the ceiling of Kybele.

We ate kebeb, grilled calamarı, lokum, I drank raki, Turkish coffee and tea and window shopped till 7 30. Raki has anise flavor. Since it's not my favorite taste, I only had half the glass. It was served with a glass of water since it was very strong.

I decided to go to Cemberlitas on my own today. Vefa mapped the walking instruction on the hotel business card. I got a little lost but found it still within 10 min. Here are some quıck and interesting happenings of tonight since there is no time to type on this Turkish keyboard in detail: as İ lay down on the hot stone amongst a dozen other women I had no clue who would be the attendant providing me the scrubbing service and oil massage since everyone looked the same wrapped by a red and white stripe towel or in their birthday suit. There was no badge indicating who works here and who is just visiting. When someone finally came to me after me steaming on the marble hot stone for about 15 min, I soon realized that the way of communication during a cleansing session was a slap on the butt cheek and a brisk but authoritative word:Turn! I anticipated the order of turning, twice front and back, soaping and scrubbing then twice slapped again to sit up for arm cleansing. After agreeing to hair washing (thinking what the heck), I got directed to sit on the marble floor. Without any warning, a whole bucket of near cold water was poured onto my head, not enough to choke me but certainly gave me a jolt. It then went fast, bucket of water, (ouch), soap, (ouch my eyes), bucket of water, (cough. cough.) bucket of water, (ouch my eyes and ouch). Done.

After the oil massage, I happily left and chosen the direction following the tram. It was about 10 PM. Vefa said the tram route would take me back to Kybele. I walked about 20 min then realizing the somewhat Blue Mosque-looking mosque was really not the Blue Mosque. They all looked the same in the dark. There are lots of people on the street. All the restaurants are open and coffee/tea houses too. I passed the Grand Bazaar sign, which meant I was definitely lost. At a street boothş the vendor told me I was 2 kilometers in the opposite direction from Sultanahmet, where the hotel was. I had to walk back about 3 KMs along the tram to find Kybele. 20 minutes later I passed Cemberlitas again. Another good Turkish who found me puzzled staring at the business card stopped me and asked me if I were lost. He looked at my business card and kindly reassured me that I was on the right track and made sure I understood I should NOT turn on the road until I see this and that...

I made it back. My left calf was a little sore but the hamam experience was still very good. Julee greeted me in our room with tomorrow’s plan. It will be a packed day.