Ignorance is Strength

I have had my hands full recently with beurocracy....I spent a whole day dealing with the Iran consulate after hearing I could have a visa in 2 days...unbelievable...sadly it was...I got up at 4.50am to get the first boat to the mainland so I could be 1st in the queue for passport process....8.30am the doors opened after I eventually found the consulate up the top of a hill no less....by 8.40 AM a most unhelpful counter assistant had put paid to the prospect saying I was incorrectly informed by the man on the phone(who was the most senior but was not on duty)...I made phonecalls, returned to the consulate 2 more times but had no luck in procurring the all important visa....and after checking my emails found out the same day that the visa request had been officially turned down from the ministry of foreign affairs....

I gave the problem some thought over the next 2 days and have to admit is has got me stumped...
I have written a personal letter to the consulate and also organised another agency to aquire an invitation from iran
the staans route leads me to Afganistan and through Turkmenistan (more visa difficulties I am told) ...now I am used to taking a few risks....I mean crossing the road to the internet cafe to write this update I was stepping out into the crazy traffic, blindfolded and wearing a T.Shirt saying 'Galatasaray play like girls'.....
but AFGANİSTAN....really!!!!.????????
Soo...I have researched the shipping of the vehicle and got some prices....A kings ransom no less.....but at least I have options....
I could have the vehicle trailered across Iran but that was just short of the same price as shipping....too many zeros in the final cost and the risk that it would get stolen or impounded by all accounts...
Now I know the facts of the situation all I can do is wait some more....

But first a day in TAKSİM. Just to have a bit of fun.....one of the main centres for the lights and excitement of Istanbul....so much life, people buzzing around buying souvenirs, selling their wares, strange cooking pots and BBQ meat on skewers....tourists drinking outside in the summer air ...what a hullaballoo....but very engaging.....tiny cobbled back streets all on top of each other.I spent much of the afternoon sampling sweet delights at fancy pastry shops and having a few beers....and I got to see the Galata Koprusi a place where I am told the first flight took place(a man with wings jumped out of the upper terrace some 60 metres up....I think he lived too....
I decided to buy a mandolin ...(the instrument not the fruit!)....should come in handy at the campsite in 'Sile' up at the black sea my next stop.....A price was agreed and then the business of fixing the broken string...the owner knew of another shop owner who could get the string to fix it ,but in doing so broke another string so had to send for another string and then decided to tune it...which is why the other string broke(apparantly a tricky operation)..the whole process took an hour and 20 minutes while I waited outside the crowded shop...although it was next to a fresh juice shop...thirsty work this mandolin business dont you know....I finally had 5 minutes to make the ferryboat to get over the bridge to Bostanci....I had to leg it just to catch a taxi but made it with 2 seconds to spare
And I nearly got stopped by 2 police as I came around the corner to the ferryboat terminal holding the mandolin in its case...sweat pouring from my face and looking like AL PACİNO from Scarface...I was just about to say "welcome to my little friend " when I thought better of it.....