(Not as) Lost in Turkey

We're sticking to a 'less is more' policy this year, due to some complaints from non-AP readers of Tropic of Food last summer (haterz), as well as my own admission that too much information is just too much information.

Day 2 in Istanbul...Highlights thus far:
--the Jewish-American Princess sitting next to me vomiting mid-transAtlantic flight and going into some sort of conniption fit while drooling said vomit. I was then forced to "hold" her by her father, who ran for help. This woman was at least 32 years old, so this was a bit strange. I think she was faking the convulsions since her eyes were rolling back in her head only when people weren't talking to her. I did get bumped up to "middle class" seats as a result, though.
--The Muslim call to prayer, sung live (not on tape) 5 times a day throughout the city.

Photos:
The view from my bedroom window. Note that this bike is way too big for training wheels.


Turkish ballin'. The guy on the sawbuck is Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Chuck Johnson warned me that his photo would be everywhere. I like how he looks like Bela Lugosi.


View of the Bosphorus Strait, which is down the hill from where our dorm is.


Even in the city of empires, some things are universal.