Dear Istanbul, The other day someone was telling me that they didn’t like you so much. Look, I understand how someone is simply not a good fit for a place (see pretty much all my blogs on China), but it made me really think about what it is that I like about you. Yes, your traffic is rage inducing and your store aisles are ridiculously tiny. Also, it wouldn’t hurt if people here were more aware of others around them (this is my personal space bubble, that is yours). And there isn’t so much green space; a few more parks…

While reading a book about a graffiti artist, I started thinking about life and time. And well, my dream about a horrible, world ending, global nuclear war didn’t help. In the dream, I was watching my computer screen with the continents lighting up and I had just enough time to think… well, this is it. The dream ended  peacefully but it left me with a feeling of uncertainty, the type that only a scary dream can leave you with. Again, must stop reading The Economist before bedtime. Ugh, North Korea… just stop it already. In this book about Banksy, the…

I didn’t think Istanbul could get any more beautiful… but then came the tulips. This morning, I visited Emirgan Park with some friends to see the tulips. The only thing I can say is that it was just lovely. All of the colors… so pretty. Plus the weather is just perfect this weekend. Not too hot, not too cold – just right. Afterwards, I went on a bit of a walk and discovered Beşiktaş Bazaar. It’s a great market place for vegetables, spices and other things like clothing and some (fake) designer goods! I have a week off at the…