Izmir

Alright, here's a quick post about Izmir for you.  Istanbul will be next, then Dublin, then Galway...  Eh, I'll get there eventually.  I can't say I haven't had time, I've just been lazy and caught up in a couple good books of late.

First off, Izmir is probably the most liberal of the cities I visited in Turkey.  On the metro ride from the airport I saw a couple young girls in mini skirts and was actually scandalized for a minute.  This is what happens when you spend too much time in a conservative country I suppose.  A couple teenagers in miniskirts gets you thinking, "oh my god do your parents know you're out looking like that?!"

I also saw a couple kissing in public, which was also way outside the box.

So, anyway.  I arrived in Izmir and found my way to the hostel, which instantly gave me a 1970s hippie vibe with its eccentric and obnoxiously colorful artwork, insistence on no shoes, and resistance to lockers because of a belief in human responsibility and honesty.  Which is all well and good but a little too peace love whatever for me.  I had my tie dye phase in high school.  Over it.

But a place to sleep is just that, and I had an early night followed by a day of exploring the city.  Originally I debated going to the ruins at Ephesus but opted out of navigating yet another complicated bus system and walked around instead.  Since my stomach and I were still not on speaking terms I started off the morning gingerly eating bananas and drinking water while I walked along the coastline.  Which was absolutely gorgeous.

By lunchtime I had decided I had had enough of being nice to my stomach and I found a place called the Funky Bird with really good looking sandwiches and I ordered this.

Normally, I would not recommend eating this when you and your stomach are having a difference of opinion.  In my case, my stomach was so shocked by my brazenness that it actually started improving from there.  Go figure.

I then walked across town towards the market, which is similar to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul only a bit easier to navigate.  Apparently, anyway.  Personally I got completely turned around but loved every minute of it.

Thought of my darling niece when I snapped this one on the way there.  She's my Goose.

I took some time hanging out by the clock tower watching the Turkish men hocking tea on the street and the kids begging their parents to buy them birdseed from other industrious street vendors to feed the flocks of pigeons.  It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Later that evening I made my way out for dinner at a local cheap kebab shop and went to bed early to prepare for my flight back to Istanbul.

So, a short visit, but since I had a flight out of Istanbul in a few days I wanted to make my way back to spend a bit more time there.  I'm hoping to go back to Turkey to explore more of the coast, maybe later this year when I need to escape Schengen again.  Only time will tell I suppose.  Until next time!