It's my BIRTHDAY!! And in typical English style I'm feeling pretty rough! My "friend" from home (thanks Jake) recommended I should drink Efes Extra. I don't know what the "Extra" stands for but it's certainly not "Extra good feeling the next day" more like "Extra loud drums in your head, Extra dry mouth and an Extra-ordinarily bad gut!" So as you could imagine, on my actual birthday I wasn't feeling too good. After some very nice birthday wishes from the Germans in my dorm I went on the Internet to find the best present anybody that travels or lives away from home can receive. For my 27th birthday I received a compilation of birthday wishes and words of support from family and people I've met from literally all over the world. An amazing gift that I will treasure forever and a big thanks goes out again to all those involved in making it possible, you know who you are.
I have to be honest, I shed a wee tear and it certainly helped ease the hangover! Still feeling fragile though but determined not to let it stop me from doing the one thing I wanted to do left in Istanbul, I set off walking down the same hill to Galati bridge to Topkapi Palace. I just wanted a few more pics and then I can say goodbye to Istanbul having been more than happy with my experiences here.
As I walked along the busy high street I found 10euros on the floor (around 30lira) Quality I thought, I had originally planned to leave today but chose to stay an extra night so I can Skype my mum later. An extra night cost 8euros and a kebab 2euros so I've almost got a free day I thought! Happy Birthday to me! I carried on walking about 50 metres and saw a boy (10years old tops) he was sat in the road playing the accordion. Now I'm no accordion expert but it was certainly a lot better than the wailing from the girl during karaoke a few nights ago. A quote from a song that I've quoted in a previous blog rang through my head instantly, "get what you need and give what you're given." I put the 10 euros in the boys box that had around 1.50 lira in it. I will never forget his face, as I walked onwards he stopped playing, brushed it off, put it in his pocket and carried on playing. Happy Birthday to me!! It's true that they say there's no selfless good act but this trip has changed something in me to realise these situations and if I can help, to act upon it instead of ignoring it and leaving it for somebody else. Im not saying I'm Mother Theresa, far from it and this maybe due to the countries I'm in but In saying that I still receive kindness in the poorer countries as well as the richer ones. I'm just saying, now I realise more that you can't keep taking. Sometimes you need to give a little and by doing that, you get a little too.
I stumbled down the hill and had to take a seat, I was feeling pretty light headed. You can't take a seat outside a cafe and get away with it by using the excuse you're feeling lightheaded so the next thing I knew I was tucking into a ham and cheese toastie. I was struggling to say the least but determined to make it to the palace. After 30minutes or so I got to the palace and was pretty disappointed really. I had dragged myself all the way to find out that I had to pay to get into the area, not just the palace but the area as there were lots of museums in the grounds too. I only really wanted to wander around, I don't do museums! I laid down in the park outside and fell asleep. Bit of a poor birthday day really but my party was last night and what do you expect when you are on you own and feeling less than chipper.
I got back to the hostel to chill. Efes extra was staying in the fridge tonight after having been its friend for the last two nights. I did treat myself to a romantic meal for one at an Italian restaurant and had a pizza and THE starter as in true Turkish fashion they only had one! The night finished with it absolutely chucking it down and out of completely nowhere, every dodgy salesman that was either selling roasted chestnuts, glow in the dark boomerang things or "anything I wanted" (was tempted to ask him for checkered paint but the translation would've been a nightmare and its probably wasted on a damp Turk anyway) all of a sudden had umbrellas and were making a small fortune off of them. I wondered if they were that versatile and ready for every weather condition? Maybe the kites and rotating flowers were in the cupboards incase the wind picked up and the sledges and carrots in the loft for when a flash snow storm occurred!
Impressed nevertheless with the speed they worked I wasn't prepared to wait for anymore changes in the weather so I went to bed and hoped I would feel at least a little bit more human in the morning!
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