9/21: 25

Alhamdulillah, I had a rather uneventful birthday today. It is some strange twist of fate that has brought me to this part of the world for my 25th and 20th birthdays (which are probably more meaningful to me than 18 or 21, as I do not smoke or drink). These milestones seem to mean less when you are removed from your family. I don't think I noticed I turned 20 for a few days. I noticed the quarter century only because I've been thinking of it for a while. I wonder how much longer I have? Not long by any truly rational standard.

It has been a rainy weekend here in Istanbul. I ventured back down to Sultanahmet yesterday for taraweeh, but alas, the pictures I took probably aren't as nice as they could have been - it was on the dark side, and there weren't as many people. Now I just have to figure out how to upload the pictures.

I was a bit delayed on my way down to Sultanahmet yesterday, as I was trying to get an essay draft done, so I had to stop in Taksim for Iftar after I got of the Metro (YTL 1.4). I had a Big Mac meal (YTL ~8 I think) - I don't remember the last time I had one of those (in Saudi maybe) or if I had ever even had one before. It wasn't too great. Unlike Burger King, McDonald's did not have a Ramadan special.

I walked around for a bit trying to find a bus that went directly to Sultanahmet. Unfortunately, nothing doing. I asked several people, but got conflicting instructions. One thing I've noticed so far here in Turkey - people don't like saying they do not know how to get somewher, so you end up going in circles sometimes. It was getting late, so I had to find a masjid to pray at. I went to this big domed structure, but it was closed, and I think I saw some Greek script, so perhaps it was a church. I went around in circles for a while, before I finally was directed to a rather small masjid for such a central area. Then I decided to just go back to Sultanahmet the same way I had returned last time - using the microbus/dolmus (YTL 1.5).

I got of at Aksaray. This time, instead of walking however many kilometers to the Blue Mosque, I took the tram (YTL 1.4), which got me there pretty quick, in time for Isha anyways. I went back the same way, for a total of YTL 4.3 one way or YTL 8.6 round trip. I really wish they had a monthly pass or something, because that does add up. That being said, I would rather walk a couple of miles than take a taxi at this point in Istanbul - I would not know if I was being taken for a ride, figuratively.

I just noticed today I am down to my last YTL 50, so I need to exchange some more soon. I will probably just use some dollars, since I still haven't decided what to do about the traveler's cheques. I am rather low because I finally got a local cell phone (YTL 30). It looks a bit used, but I hope the battery lasts and it works well. The same guy sold me a TURKCELL SIM for YTL 25. Of course the grocery damage didn't help either.

Anyways, back to yesterday. Because of the rain, there weren't as many people, but the mosque was still full for taraweeh. There was a roll of plastic bags for people to put in their muddy shoes. It is wierd entering that mosque, because at taraweeh, the women take up the rear quarter or third of the building, but you have to go through them to enter or exit. I left after eight, not feeling well, and there was only a single file row left between all the women. Quite odd.

After leaving, I decided to have one of those Ottoman sweet popsicle candy stick things I noticed last time. I have a picture of them to show, in sha Allah. It is pretty much jelly and was melting rather quickly, so I had to eat it fast. Sticky too.

I saw an add for a whirling derwish show every Tuesday and Saturday at 730. I might check it out some day, after the apps. The essays are as bad as I expected them to be. Khayr in sha Allah.

On Friday, I had prayed taraweeh at the closest mosque to me, and they had switched to a four rakat taraweeh. I'm not sure how someone is supposed to know what to intend with the first 2/4. Maybe there is an announcement in Turkish. At least the Blue Mosque was still 2/2. The only difference I detected was a rather long salwat/singing after the eighth rakat, which is when I made my exit.

I discovered an internet cafe near the closest masjid, so I chatted with Osman and Mom on Friday night, and again with Baba, Mom, and Rabia today. Alhamdulillah, it works pretty well, and isn't too much - YTL 1.5 per hour. I've spent YTL 7 or so there so far.

Mom wanted me to go out for dinner and eat healthy, and also to get myself a cupcake or something. I ended up just making some soup using those packages (Maggi) - just add water and boil. Alas, I think I had too much water for one package (mushroom), so I put in a second (veggie), so it was thicker than it should have been. Still, with the leftover bakery goods and Cheezits, it was good enough for me. I did get some kind of dessert item from a relatively larger grocery store that is nearby - chocolate covered cream puffs (YTL 2.7) - but alas, it was not so great. I still need to find a good cooking spoon - the plastic one I used to make the soup is no good.

...

I had just taken a break to go pray taraweeh/Isha at the mosque close to work. Even though it is the last 10 days, it seemed like it was a bit empty today. Less than a quarter full. I think either IAGD or Unity would have beaten it hands down. I thought it was more full during the week last week. Perhaps there was a wedding in the area tonight. (I wonder where Turks get married. I didn't notice any shadi khanas/wedding halls here. I never saw any in Damascus either.) That being said, no one came late to taraweeh, and everyone stayed until the end.

A couple of other things I noticed. There seems to be a chorus at this masjid, and I think the others as well, in the back - a small, enclosed area where a couple of guys sit and say the iqama and the duas, etc. It is is a little strange. Even the post prayer dua stuff, they led it. After the 20, they say "rabbana amanna bima anzalta wat taba'nar rasula" and everyone adds "faktubna ma'a ash shahideen." Then everyone reads a dua. I left before witr, but no one else did. Also, my strategy of leaving one shoe/sandal in one corner and another in the other corner is working so far, alhamdulillah - nothing stolen/taken yet!