Türk Kahvesi & Those side streets that I love

Dear all, today I come to you, head down, asking forgiveness for I have done a terrible thing - yes, I had my first Turkish Coffee in Turkey today..... at Starbucks. I know, I know. How could I do such a thing - well, I'll explain. I was walking down the street, and need a place to sit down a rest a bit. Starbucks was both conveniently right across the street and comfy looking, so I popped in with the intentions of experiencing how, if at all, they had adjusted their menu for Turkey. The menu was, I came to find out, actually entirely in English save for a couple of words and the allusive item called "Türk Kahvesi" which those of us who speak no Turkish, but do have to ability to sound things out, would logically deduce to be Turkish coffee.  It came out a few minutes later in a espresso cup, piping hot and wonderfully needed as I was having my 3:00pm bought of sleepiness brought on, no doubt, by the combination of jet lag and lugging my luggage up and down about 50 flights of stairs all through metro stops, busses, and buildings today. Needless to say, I was in a must have caffeine mode. It was GLORIOUS. lightly sweetened with a single sugar cube, it was bold and strong, but not at all bitter, not unlike Indonesian kopi. I could attempt all day to describe it, but I could never do so accurately. Thus, I will leave you with just saying that it WILL be something I order again, but based on the caffeine jolt I had post drinking, it will be a special occasions beverage.

As I mentioned, I went out to do a bit of exploring today - poking my head down some of the side streets just off of the main road near the AIESEC office (which, by the way, is located up 4 flights of winding, narrow stairs, up which I carried my luggage - what fun). There were some interesting sights to behold, although it all seemed very familiar. Istanbul reminds me a lot of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Some of the little places I discovered today were exactly like the little offshoots of Jalan Petaling in Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown - only with less abrasive odors and notably fewer Malaysians. Even the little vendors remind me of the ones I shopped at during my 18 hour layover last summer. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll let all of you see for yourself and decide what you think.

**More to come soon**