Selcuk to Istanbul

Selcuk to Istanbul

Today started with a sad departure from Atilla's Getaway. We had breakfast, paid the bill, said goodbyes, and hopped in the van with Carlos. He took us to the bus terminal for the day bus to Istanbul. I was still able to get in a quick game of pool with Shaun, a new pal from Adelaide, Australia. The mornings are the best with cool temps and a gentle breeze. The nights there were so nice, it was just open windows, a fan, and coma like sleep. The local mosque's early morning call to prayer didn't even wake me. Andrew heard it one morning, and I spotted the building from the trail run up the mountain. A different place.

I posted a bit on Facebook about this ride on the Turkish bus, and I will elaborate a bit here in the blog. I knew the reputation of these coach lines and they live up to what I have heard. There is WiFi with in and out service, but good enough to do email and check the blog to post. We have a steward that comes up and down the aisle serving coffee, snacks, and juices. The stops are spaced out just enough to comfortably make restroom breaks and the air-conditioning works like a champ. As I write this there are a few children around me sharing seats with parents which seems to be the norm here. Not a problem, unless they are in a group of 40 coming into my classroom ready to pound on musical instruments. Sheeze! The seats are comfy and windows are huge. The drivers and companies take such pride in the busing that at the rest stops they even wash the bus. The front window has been done every time and the sides once. Wow! There is USB charging and little TVs in the seat back in front of you. Might be overkill, but sure is nice. I have taken the Greyhound bus lines in the states, maybe they should take a note. Or, someone should copy this model and let it fly. Would be nice to travel like this in the states.

On another note, the bathroom situation is a little intriguing. Not only having "squat toilets," you have to pay to use the can. Some places in Greece you had to pay a fee for toilet paper, but in Turkey you have to pay every time you use one. Most places it has been one Turkish Lira and if you don't pay, you get the stink eye. Not cool. So, if you are going out on the town, you must bring a few coins to take care of the bodily functions. This could be a problem if you are visiting local watering holes and blow all your money. I feel a little weird giving some attendant a coin to add to their huge pile just do do my business. Hey, I could go around the back and go in the grass, but a visit to a Turkish jail right not would not be fun. These cops have some serious firepower. More on that later.