Goodbye Africa, hello Eastern Europe/Middle East (I'll let you decide where to put Turkey.)
Unfortunately, Mombasa was not quite as nice weather wise as I was hoping it to be. It rained all four days that I was there so instead of working on my tan and frolicking in the sea, I think I gained about ten lbs on account of the hotel buffet (it's the cheapness in me-"might as well get my moneys worth!") and watched the most random selection of movies on Kenyan tv ever-think Zack Efron Disney films, Canadian documentaries about serial killer Willie Picton and just about everything in between.
Observing the couples at my hotel proved to be rather interesting, for lack of a better word. 80% of them were comprised of 65 year old white men with 25 year old Kenyan women and the other 20% were 55 year old white women with 30 year old Kenyan men. Then there was me. I'll let you draw your own conclusions about that.
One thing I am quite happy to leave back in Kenya is Celine Dion. The obsession Kenyans have with her is outta control. If I never hear "my heart will go on" or "the power of love" ever again, it'll be too soon. I thought I had escaped it after leaving the piped in music at my hotel, but then my seat mate on my 9 hour "deluxe" bus ride back to Nairobi had "cause I'm your laaaaddddyyyyy, and you are my maaaannn" as her ringtone. Wowza.
My last order of business in Nairobi was a final meal at java house, a trip to Nakumatt for Kenyan coffee and tubs of vaseline (20 shillings a pop!) and a viewing of the hangover part 2 which was pretty funny. I really can't get enough of zack galifinaskis. Check him out on the cover of rolling stone this month. Priceless.
As a Canadian whose done my fair share of flying, I thought that there was no airline in the world that could rival the awfulness that is Air Canada. And then I flew Egypt Air. Hooo boy. The sexism displayed by the staff was almost shocking and the breakfast of a boiled hot dog and cup of chocolate pudding left something to be desired. Think about how fast you know I eat (any meal can be conquered in 4 minutes) and then think about the flight attendant pretty much tapping his toe in the aisle waiting to collect my tray! It was however the first flight of my life where I actually passed out unconscious and slept for a bit. I didn't even wake up when we touched down on the runway. I guess that says how tired I am.
I experienced a little pang of disapointment while flying through Cairo. I know I made the right decision canceling my week in Egypt but feeling that amazing dry heat hit me and seeing the sand on the runway made me a bit sad. Oh well. I will make it back there on another trip in the future.
After five months as a dirtbag vagabond making my way through too many cultures to count, I no longer possess any awareness in regards to social graces and what is and isn't inapropriate in public. For instance, I told a Kenyan "beach boy" who wouldn't stop harrassing me that I wished he would go into the ocean and drown, among other things I'm too ashamed to repeat in polite company. And while at the Cairo airport I spent a good 15 minutes applying different lotions to each part of my battered body-feet, legs, hands, arms, shoulders, face-in an environment where every woman is in a hajib and all the men are praying on little carpets in the airport corridors. Appropriate? Probably not. But I am way too worn out at this point to observe cultural sensitivities. Maybe that makes me a shitty traveller, but come on! I've put up with a lot haven't I? (here is where I remind you that I was vomitted on on a bus in India).
After flying into Istanbul and catching a local plane to Adana, Oriana and Matt picked me up at the airport and drove me back to where they live in Tarsis which is a smallish town close to the Mediterranean in the south eastern part of turkey. Oriana teaches at the American school here and Matt works at the American military base. They have a really nice set up here, living in a nice apartment on campus and managed to get me my own apartment while I stay with them, so life is very good! This is the first time on this trip where I really feel like I'm on holiday and not traveling, if you'll allow me to separate the two.
My first morning, Matt, Oriana, and their friend Christy took me out to the beach in a place called Kizkalesi which means childrens castle in Turkish. It's called this because there is an amazing ruined castle out in the middle of the sea. The story goes that some king built the castle out on the sea for his daughter in order to protect her from her doomed fate. The castle is 450 meters off the beach and we swam out to it to explore which was quite the mission considering the horrible shape I'm in an the strength of the current.
This was the first time I'd been to the Mediterranean sea in almost exactly ten years. My first time was when I was 18 and went to visit my brother Soren in Spain and we swam in Malaga. The sea is wonderful and refreshing but unfortunately had a lot more garbage in it then one would like! The drive back was cool as there are ancient ruins strewn all over the place and along the side of the highway. We stopped and checked out an old ampitheatre which was just uncovered not that long ago and is from the time of Marcus Orilius, the roman emporor. Pretty crazy stuff.
The Turkish presidential elections were on Sunday and their president got re-elected. There is a major divide in Turkey regarding religion. The population here is 98% Muslim but a huge portion of them believe stongly in having a secular democracy which means not allowing women to wear headscarves in the public sector. Many others however, as I'm sure you can imagine, disagree. It's an interesting issue.
Yesterday Oriana had the day off work so we tool the train into a bigger city called Mersin and went to the mall all day which was hillarious. I haven't been in a proper mall in months and months. It was strange seeing starbucks and la senza and a lot of other western stores (but awesome to buy European brands for much cheaper!) The women here are serious about fashion and are all very glamorous. I'm sure it'll only get better once I'm in Istanbul. (I'm so excited for the shopping possibilities there despite not having any money!)
The food has been really good. They have this kind if gelato-esque ice cream here which is to die for. And the hummus. Oh my god. I've never tasted something so good!
So far I really like Turkey. It's a funny mix of modernity with very old fashioned and conservative(borderline insane) values. People are friendly and are really proud of their country. They keep asking me what I think about it here and what I like about their country. The men aren't too hard to deal with either. I definitely get stared at but everyone has been very respectful. As for Turkey's attempt to get into the EU, I don't think that will ever happen. Despite the changes they've made to become more democratic, they still deny the large minority of Kurds who live here any rights whatsoever, and there is no freedom of the press (you are not allowed to speak badly about Ataturk, the founding father of modern Turkey post WW1).
Sometime on the weekend I'm going to head north and check out an area called Cappadoccia which is where Oriana and Matt got married. It looks absolutely beautiful so I'm very excited. After that I'm going to head into Istanbul and spend the rest of my time there which I think will be incredible. I've only ever heard amazing things about that city, so I'm pumped. Less than two weeks now until I rendezvous with my mum in London! Until next time.
p.s. For those not on facebook, here is the link to my Kenya photos:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.998369727037.2490712.13604583&l=c4870dc864
Unfortunately, Mombasa was not quite as nice weather wise as I was hoping it to be. It rained all four days that I was there so instead of working on my tan and frolicking in the sea, I think I gained about ten lbs on account of the hotel buffet (it's the cheapness in me-"might as well get my moneys worth!") and watched the most random selection of movies on Kenyan tv ever-think Zack Efron Disney films, Canadian documentaries about serial killer Willie Picton and just about everything in between.
Observing the couples at my hotel proved to be rather interesting, for lack of a better word. 80% of them were comprised of 65 year old white men with 25 year old Kenyan women and the other 20% were 55 year old white women with 30 year old Kenyan men. Then there was me. I'll let you draw your own conclusions about that.
One thing I am quite happy to leave back in Kenya is Celine Dion. The obsession Kenyans have with her is outta control. If I never hear "my heart will go on" or "the power of love" ever again, it'll be too soon. I thought I had escaped it after leaving the piped in music at my hotel, but then my seat mate on my 9 hour "deluxe" bus ride back to Nairobi had "cause I'm your laaaaddddyyyyy, and you are my maaaannn" as her ringtone. Wowza.
My last order of business in Nairobi was a final meal at java house, a trip to Nakumatt for Kenyan coffee and tubs of vaseline (20 shillings a pop!) and a viewing of the hangover part 2 which was pretty funny. I really can't get enough of zack galifinaskis. Check him out on the cover of rolling stone this month. Priceless.
As a Canadian whose done my fair share of flying, I thought that there was no airline in the world that could rival the awfulness that is Air Canada. And then I flew Egypt Air. Hooo boy. The sexism displayed by the staff was almost shocking and the breakfast of a boiled hot dog and cup of chocolate pudding left something to be desired. Think about how fast you know I eat (any meal can be conquered in 4 minutes) and then think about the flight attendant pretty much tapping his toe in the aisle waiting to collect my tray! It was however the first flight of my life where I actually passed out unconscious and slept for a bit. I didn't even wake up when we touched down on the runway. I guess that says how tired I am.
I experienced a little pang of disapointment while flying through Cairo. I know I made the right decision canceling my week in Egypt but feeling that amazing dry heat hit me and seeing the sand on the runway made me a bit sad. Oh well. I will make it back there on another trip in the future.
After five months as a dirtbag vagabond making my way through too many cultures to count, I no longer possess any awareness in regards to social graces and what is and isn't inapropriate in public. For instance, I told a Kenyan "beach boy" who wouldn't stop harrassing me that I wished he would go into the ocean and drown, among other things I'm too ashamed to repeat in polite company. And while at the Cairo airport I spent a good 15 minutes applying different lotions to each part of my battered body-feet, legs, hands, arms, shoulders, face-in an environment where every woman is in a hajib and all the men are praying on little carpets in the airport corridors. Appropriate? Probably not. But I am way too worn out at this point to observe cultural sensitivities. Maybe that makes me a shitty traveller, but come on! I've put up with a lot haven't I? (here is where I remind you that I was vomitted on on a bus in India).
After flying into Istanbul and catching a local plane to Adana, Oriana and Matt picked me up at the airport and drove me back to where they live in Tarsis which is a smallish town close to the Mediterranean in the south eastern part of turkey. Oriana teaches at the American school here and Matt works at the American military base. They have a really nice set up here, living in a nice apartment on campus and managed to get me my own apartment while I stay with them, so life is very good! This is the first time on this trip where I really feel like I'm on holiday and not traveling, if you'll allow me to separate the two.
My first morning, Matt, Oriana, and their friend Christy took me out to the beach in a place called Kizkalesi which means childrens castle in Turkish. It's called this because there is an amazing ruined castle out in the middle of the sea. The story goes that some king built the castle out on the sea for his daughter in order to protect her from her doomed fate. The castle is 450 meters off the beach and we swam out to it to explore which was quite the mission considering the horrible shape I'm in an the strength of the current.
This was the first time I'd been to the Mediterranean sea in almost exactly ten years. My first time was when I was 18 and went to visit my brother Soren in Spain and we swam in Malaga. The sea is wonderful and refreshing but unfortunately had a lot more garbage in it then one would like! The drive back was cool as there are ancient ruins strewn all over the place and along the side of the highway. We stopped and checked out an old ampitheatre which was just uncovered not that long ago and is from the time of Marcus Orilius, the roman emporor. Pretty crazy stuff.
The Turkish presidential elections were on Sunday and their president got re-elected. There is a major divide in Turkey regarding religion. The population here is 98% Muslim but a huge portion of them believe stongly in having a secular democracy which means not allowing women to wear headscarves in the public sector. Many others however, as I'm sure you can imagine, disagree. It's an interesting issue.
Yesterday Oriana had the day off work so we tool the train into a bigger city called Mersin and went to the mall all day which was hillarious. I haven't been in a proper mall in months and months. It was strange seeing starbucks and la senza and a lot of other western stores (but awesome to buy European brands for much cheaper!) The women here are serious about fashion and are all very glamorous. I'm sure it'll only get better once I'm in Istanbul. (I'm so excited for the shopping possibilities there despite not having any money!)
The food has been really good. They have this kind if gelato-esque ice cream here which is to die for. And the hummus. Oh my god. I've never tasted something so good!
So far I really like Turkey. It's a funny mix of modernity with very old fashioned and conservative(borderline insane) values. People are friendly and are really proud of their country. They keep asking me what I think about it here and what I like about their country. The men aren't too hard to deal with either. I definitely get stared at but everyone has been very respectful. As for Turkey's attempt to get into the EU, I don't think that will ever happen. Despite the changes they've made to become more democratic, they still deny the large minority of Kurds who live here any rights whatsoever, and there is no freedom of the press (you are not allowed to speak badly about Ataturk, the founding father of modern Turkey post WW1).
Sometime on the weekend I'm going to head north and check out an area called Cappadoccia which is where Oriana and Matt got married. It looks absolutely beautiful so I'm very excited. After that I'm going to head into Istanbul and spend the rest of my time there which I think will be incredible. I've only ever heard amazing things about that city, so I'm pumped. Less than two weeks now until I rendezvous with my mum in London! Until next time.
p.s. For those not on facebook, here is the link to my Kenya photos:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.998369727037.2490712.13604583&l=c4870dc864
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