Eerrrggghhh!!!

Dear Marmite

This is going to be grumpy old lady sounding off... You have a good ear so I know you won't mind. I'll start with selfies. What is the obsession? I know I am in a tourist area and there are lots of really incredible things to see and remember but why do people need a picture of their face blotting out the beautiful things behind them. I know my memory isn't the best but I know what I look like and I don't need fifteen pictures of me in front of a building to remind me that I looked like that when I was there.

Cure for grumpiness

I went down to the Basilica Cistern - an underground water storage system built 1500 years ago. It is an amazing bit of engineering and so dark. Even this didn't stop the selfies who needed a picture by each and every pillar. My camera with an ISO of 1200 and a shutter speed close to shaky couldn't take good pictures yet I noticed phone cameras clicking away taking quite acceptable ones. eerrrggghhh!!

Medusa in tbe Basilica Cistern

Yesterday I paid particular attention to selfie pests who blocked paths, pouting and simmering into the their screens posing for the umpteenth time. I am convinced that they miss out on actually being there and I would put money on them not looking at these pictures when they get home. My advice, take in the scene with your eyes, enjoy and move on. You will make life more pleasant for other tourists as well.

While I am at it, that is not the only thing that niggles. I just want to say loud and clear - I DON'T WANT A CARPET - maybe I look like someone who does but at the moment I don't have a home to put one in.  One wiseboy came back with the remark, "Well, what about a leather jacket, then!" when I said I don't have a home. So nice as you are street traders, smile and let me go on my way.

Misleading signs irk! I went to the Express Laundry round the corner from my hotel this morning. It said, "Coming 2 minutes". I waited for 10. That is not Express. It is a misleading sign in every way. I then found the Pop Up Laundry which was in a cellar. I popped down. Laundry is now doing itself while I write.

Galata Tower

This sounds like I am not having fun. I am. Even though the weather is perpetually miserable and around freezing,  just for a moment while I was at the Galata Tower the sun peeped through and life was quite rosy. Every day is different and once I have developed my DLSR pictures I'll have a wonderful record of all I have seen on my travels. There is not a selfie among them.

I just wish I could show them to you, Marms. I know you would see them in black and white but I could talk you through them... By the time I have finished there will be hundreds...

Church. St. Francis of Assisi

I'm heading back to Asia today with Naeroz! Two steps forward and one step back!!

Love you

Hugs all round

XXX