Facebook

This note was posted a few days ago on facebook. I figured I owuld put it here too.

This marks the almost-1-month abroad point of my voyage. So far, I have had an amazing time and have some pretty cool new stories. I figured I would tell a couple on this note. In no particular order, here go I. A rabbit told my fortune in Istanbul, it reads, "You or one of your family will get a big opportunity and if you use it wisely, you will live happily in wealth ever after." I freaking love this rabbit. If only the guy with said rabbit hadn't told me that my fortune teller made a particularly tasty snack. There was one less rabbit when I saw him the next day. In Istanbul there are Turkish bath houses called Hamams. The typical hamam (for tourists) cost about 40 lira (25 bucks), we on the other hand wanted to save money and go to an off-the-beaten-path hamam. So in short, we spent 35 lira (22 bucks) to be manhandled by some turkish guy for about 5 minutes and be put in a sauna that was actually colder that the scorching temperatures outside. The girl that went with us however, spent over an hour getting a massage. We got to pick slugs off the soap. On our last day in Turkey we began to feel bold enough to experiment with some of the finer local quisine, the specialty being Turkish Ravioli. Perhaps the densest substance not created within the stars themselves, this ravioli wreaks havok on the human digestive tract, leaving the victim mere seconds to determine where the nearest bathroom is and remove any clothing that might hinder any biological processes that must, and I MEAN must, occur. That being said, my fellow traveller and I boarded a 27 hour train to Bucharest the next day. The results while entirely predictable were, to say the least, horrendous. Firstly, the train contained no means of purchasing or finding drinkable water, a fact of which we were dreadfully unaware. Second, the bathrooms were Turkish toilets; a variety of toilet that consists of two foot-pads and a hole in the floor. This bathroom however, hadn't been cleaned since the late seventies and the tracks were clearly visible through the hole, speeding by. Furthermore, with the train as bumpy as it was, you could not hit the correct spot with a rifle and a tripod, and I possessed neither. I forgot to mention, given the length of the trip, we purchased a "sleeper" car. This is blatant misadvertisement. As American citizens, we were given the priveledge of being the only nationality taken from the train at every border stop, which corresponds to about every hour and a half. Bulgaria was a particularly fun stop. When the ticket validator came to our cabin, he grabbed our tickets (previously validated in Turkey) and looked at them in disgust. We attempted to explain to him that they were already valid and that, by stamping them again, he would be charging us twice for the ride. He smiled at us with an evil grin and said, "This is Bulgaria." He stamped both of our train passes with gusto and left without a word. Luckily for me, the turkish ravioli hit about 5 minutes later, so I got to leave a little thankyou while the train was still stopped at the border crossing. America 1: Bulgaria 0. These were some of the few stories that are in recent memory, and include only the last 3 days or so. I'll try to remember more and keep a running log of them.As a final point, I will deliniate some of the lessons I have learned on this trip.1. Never tell anyone who haggles that you are an American.2. All cab drivers are evil, regardless of nationality, race or creed.3. Melon and doughnuts can be a wonderful combination.4. Never take tequila shots to sleep on an overnight bus. It only changes your status from uncomfortable, to drunk and uncomforable.5. Europeans go on strike whenever they don't want to go to work.6. Turkish ravioli may be the most powerful laxative ever created. It works for days on end, ruthlessly.7. Never opt for that second gyro, it is not worth the price you pay later.8. When pointing at the menu and saying, "I want that.", make sure it isn't the chicken innards sandwich.9. Don't go to or through Bulgaria.10. If crossing a border that requires you to purchase a visa, get everyone to pay with a large bill. They never have enough change and you end up on top. (America 1: Turkey 0)11. Never tell anyone you are a medical student. "Oh sweet! Could you take a look at this!?" Well everyone, that's all for now!Cheers! - B