yobosayo – Around the World Travel Blog – Follow us around the world

It wasn’t part of our original plan, but Mike and I decided to stay put for two weeks in Istanbul. We rented an apartment right off the main drag, which is kind of like being off Houston in Soho, or Shibuya in Tokyo, Stroget in Copenhagen, or 3rd street in Santa Monica. Which is to say, there are tons of people walking on Istiklal Caddesi, the main street and innumerable bars/restaurants/cafes/shops surround us. The last census stated 11million people reside here, but it is estimated up to 18million people maybe in Istanbul at one time (this includes unregistered foreigners and tourists).

[photo: view from our 4th floor apartment]
.

Here’s a photo of a rally on Istiklal Caddesi. Turkey has very strict speech laws protecting Turkish identity and/or its institution. Any insults or even negative jokes about Turkey can result in up to 3 years in prison. With the desire to join the EU, the Turkish government is voting on abolishing/ amending the law to allow free speech.

This is a photo from Faruk’s garden in Goreme. It’s the end of the tomato season, so the plants look like they are barely hanging on. But according to Faruk, at the beginning of the planting season, the seeds are planted between rows of grapevines. Once they are seedlings, they are re-planted in a garden, and watered, once. The land in Cappadocia is extremely dry, and rain does not come often, but somehow these tomato plants continue to grow. And they are very sweet, juicy and tasty.

.

.

This tomato looks like it had a face lift. You know when you see someone who’s had cosmetic surgery, and you have to look twice because something looks so right, it’s wrong?? This is a greenhouse tomato purchased in Istanbul. And like you might expect, has no real substance.

According to John, our Turkish friend, organic and greenhouse produce costs the same. It’s just a matter of if you can find the organic.