Worst Weekend in Turkey Ever

As I am writing this post in retrospect, I think my view on this trip to Turkey may have changed somewhat. It was hectic and none too fun... I arrived in Istanbul only to run around to all the airlines and try to find the cheapest ticket to Ankara available. Unfortunately, none were too cheap and I ended up on Turkish Airlines because at least they offered a cheaper rate for return tickets. I arrived late and night and while trying to flag a taxi to the nice hotel I booked in Kızılay, Mu called. he insisted I go to this particular hotel his friend did business with in Ulus - the neighborhood furthest from the Cuban embassy (getting a tourist visa for Cuba being the only reason for visiting Ankara).

On this trip, I had one day to get the visa and return to Istanbul. In Istanbul, I had to go to Taxim, find a hotel, drop my stuff and get to the dentist's office to have my root canal finished. In the afternoon of the same day, I had another doctor's appointment. (There are certain kinds of check ups that I simply refuse to have done in "Kurdistan" (Sorry to my Turkish blog-posting objector to the word "Kurdistan", but let's face it, it is a much more apt description of where I live than simply "Iraq"). I thin rushed back to my hotel to try and pick up a package that I was unable to pick up the last time I was in Istanbul.... OH, and let's not forget a rushed trip to the Mac shop to pick up a new power cord for my laptop... a "steal" at only 70 GBP! (just wish I were the one getting away with the steal!

The following day, I was to fly home only to find my flight was cancelled... as usual. I then went early the next morning to find that Cresta Tours gave me the wrong flight time and that it was actually an evening flight. Ah well, I took a cab to Ataköy and found a nice movie theater in a mall with Lazy Boy recliners to grab a couple of hours nap in. After that, I visited another shopping center to window shop and discovered the first Banana Republic I have ever seen in Turkey!

Anyway, I saw that it may not be the worst visit ever as I have another coming up in about a week... a visit during which I must not only undergo surgery (routine as it may be), but spend the night in the hospital. I hope that it isn't like Taiwanese hospitals where you are required to bring your own soap, toilet paper and food.