Justus In The World

Here's a bit more on how it is to live in Istanbul for over a month. For a large city, I do feel I know my way around really well and have seen lots of places that not even the locals go. Definitely been a great place to live and explore.

• Simit. Like the bagel in the US, simit is a round piece of bread that is sold and eaten everywhere. Little stands are all over the place, from the ferries (literally 3-4 stands per ferry dock) to the main sights. People are always eating them, and I got hooked. They're thin, supposed to be slightly hard/crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They're covered with sesame seeds and are the perfect snack to keep you going. The price is always 1 Turkish Lira ($.50 USD) and it's the fast, tasty food to keep you going.
• Buses here are more efficient than other countries in the fact that they don't fully stop to pick people up or drop them off. They've got places to go and you get on and off when you can, often with the bus moving slightly. Keeps things moving and grooving, as they weave in and out of traffic, honking and like all other moving vehicles in this country, drive inches away from everything.
• Don't expect to have a lot of clearance by a moving vehicle as they pass you. It gets super close at times, and if you're in their way, they honk at you. That's because people walk wherever they want, whenever they want. No waiting for the crosswalk to change, they only need a break in traffic and then people are off. Quite nice, as people like to keep moving, often so they can go grab a quick simit or meet a friend for some tea.
• I'm going to miss the exchange rate of 2 lira to the dollar. Makes it super easy to convert and prices are actually pretty good here, especially with public transport.
• I won't miss the beer here. Boring and with only 3 varieties.
• I also won't miss the fact that everyone smokes here. One of the countries where someone who doesn't smoke is more abnormal. And sometimes I got to experience the 1990s again and sit in smoking sections in restaurants. There's also bars/cafes that have a rolltop roof which allows people to smoke up top, even if the roof is closed.
• I love the dolmus, which is a yellow mini taxi which seats 8 people and goes from one place to another on direct routes. Kinda like a cross between a taxi and a bus, with cheap prices, going 24 hours and being efficient. To flag one down, just put your hand out, and boom, they stop. No special place to pick one up, other than the starting or final destination. Love them!