Istanbul, Constantinople

Today, I woke to the sounds of the call to prayer coming from the Blue Mosque, a short walk frommy hostel. I'm looking out over the Mediterranian from a rooftop cafe, having tea. Istanbul has always been a place I've dreamed of seeing, but only in a distant, vague way. I thought it was too foreign, too far to simply board a plane and embark. But here I am, living out a dream I didn't really suspect I would fulfill, at least this soon.
I'm on midterm break from studying in London. Elizabeth and I decided to meet up in Barcelona before heading out to Istanbul.

Yesterday, I walked through the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Kay and I have been treated like celebrities- red hair is not very common in Turkey. Brandon has been getting all the attention from little kids on school tours, who flock to him.
I'm glad I did this, something I didn't really suspect I could do.

It's been two weeks since I've arrived here in England. I would hardly know it- time has done it usual taffy-trick and stretched out, making me feel like I've been here for much longer, or that I've just always been here, while the next ten weeks lie in front of me, threatening to fly away if I so much as blink.
I love London. There is very little to not love about it-The tube, afternoon tea, Chips, Mind the Gap, tweed and pinstripe suits. Even the things I'm not crazy about I find merely bewildering- The monarchy and black pudding, for example. And the house of Lords.