travel back in time

Sheena, do you remember in freshman year when I worked at the Wicca/Occult Bookstore called, wait for it, The Dreaming Goddess? and remember how I used to buy nag champa incense and burn it all the time?

Last night all I could smell in my room was nag champa.

Really took me back, is all.

but if it wakes you up, it's probably a little too strong.

I was awoken from my traditional subway nap this morning by our local friendly leprochaun. Actually, I think it was the lady sitting next to me chomping on bubble gum. I have no problem with bubble gum. I like it. But at 8am, maybe it's not the thing you want to smell. Also, I really almost sat the young man sitting next to me down and had a talk about how you COULD cut off the label on the coat sleeve that says "100% wool". I didn't. But I really wanted to.

The Great Move, and the Mighty Return. But not in that order.

Hello Friends!

I'm sorry for the delay in photopicturing from the Istanbul trip, but it took us some time to get the pictures together, and then I went to DC this weekend to drop Obediah off at my sister's house. Yes, it's true. Obie has made the move to the capital. Mostly because he feels it will be easier to pursue his political dreams (Obediah/Obama '08) and partly because I think he'll be happy there. The direct result of this move is that Mattie now realizes that she likes people. Also knocking shit over. sweeeet.
So, farewell, Obie. Ali will give me daily reports, so behave yourself.

In Istanbul news, I'm working on getting web-album together, but until that happens, here are a few choice photos.
This is the vew directly outside our hotel. I'm not joking. I stepped out of the hotel, picked up the camera, zoomed all the way OUT, and took this photo. (It's the Hagia Sophia, built as a church by Justinian, turned into a Mosque, turned into a museum)
This was the view from the top floor of the first restaurant in which we ate, Dubb, an Indian place with great food. That's Hagia Sophia in the back, with the remains of a Basilica in the foreground (the Basilica Cisterns, which were awesome, are located underneath those remains).
Here's me on top of the ancient walls of Istanbul in the Western District. I believe it was on the top of this wall that I got the world's record long distance cat call. Until Seth stepped into view, and then the guys apologized to him profusely.
Here's Seppo in front of the Blue Mosque. It has six minarets, which freaked people out when it was built in the fifteenth century, because only Mecca had six minarets up until then. It is still used as a Mosque, and we heard many a call to prayer blasted from one of those minarets.
Here's Seppo with his finger in The Weeping Column in the Hagia Sophia. It's supposed to heal you if, when you take your finger out, it is damp. Needless to say, Seppo's finger was not damp upon removal.
He WAS able, however, to climb the ruins of Anadalu Kavagi, which were totally awesome.

I think that's about all I can handle right now. I'll work on the web-album so that you can peruse at your leisure, if you want. Sorry for the lack of postcards. I blame Seppo's influence, but in reality I've never been so good with them either.