After a much needed and over-indulged trip back to the states, I am now in Istanbul. While home I realized for the first time, with full effect, that there is no place like home. While growing up there and in requisite returns, I was always able to appreciate the area, my family, and the comforts of home, but without something to compare it to, it never made the impression that it did this last time. As Americans, we really do live a luxurious lifestyle. Nothing compares to the grandeurs? of the states, everything is big, spacious, even over the top, but that is one of many things that separates it. Celebrating my moms Bday, St. Paddy's Day, and March Madness, there is no way that I could have chosen a better time to come home. Living off the spoils made my departure all the more difficult, but since then I have not missed a thing. It makes me think of what other things I could live without in perfect contentment that I consider to be essential.

After a brutal travel day, which included a 2hour nap before leaving, delays, and a sudden moment of sickness on my second leg that plastering the plane bathroom with vomit, I arrived in Istanbul delirious and tired. After being ripped off by my taxi driver (which I knew was coming), I straggled into Sultan Hostel and lay my head down for a few hours of sleep. Invigorated, I toured the streets, got my bearings and had a kebab enhanced by live turkish music and dancers.

The people here are very friendly, some because they are good hearted and others because they are good businessmen. I like to dissuade all into thinking that I am a potential buyer and look for the true goodness of the Turkish. So far, I have been called by name by all the people that work at the hostel and adjoining bar and have had a great time.

Rugs here grow on trees, as do hookahs and gorgeous tile and ceramic work. After a day of siteseeing (all of which was impressive-blue mosque, haghia sophia, topkapi palace, hippodrome and obelisks, blah blah blah) I headed back for a lil bed time and am now in the bar eating a salad and having a beer. Efes is the popular beer here, quite good. Im really enjoying myself, I feel very mature, maybe its because the fellow travellers here arent frat boys and girls. Instead, there are many couples in there 30's and up and the pervading feeling here is a little more sophisticated as a whole (although im sure there isnt a shred of truth to this feeling). As sad as I was to leave the states, the hospitality here hasnt left me homesick.

Clean city, genuine people, good food, lots of amazingly impressive sights and a feel unlike any other place I have visited. My only hope is to meet up with my Istanbul friends in the next day or so and get a more personal view of the place.