Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Time Bridge: Berlin --> Istanbul

(From August 13, 2009)

A weary travel day. Many of us stressed over having to pack. But hey, we were traveling to Istanbul. With my large hiking backpack on my back, running shoes on my feet (not fashionable but quite comfy), and my laptop bag slung to the side, I looked a seasoned traveler. I was ready for adventure. Earlier in the morning, I traveled to Ostkreuz (another part of Berlin) with John, Muhammed, Katie and Elroy to kick a soccer ball around with the Türkiyemspor soccer club. The smelly feet and dried sweat from this did not bother me. Sitting around for long periods at the airport did.

Tegel (the airport in Berlin) lacked space for those waiting around. Basically, its inside consists of a curved white corridor with many food and drink shops with little/no space to sit. What makes this a problem is that we were in Berlin. As the group learned a few days prior at a coffee shop, this means that shop owners ruthlessly obey protocol and will kick ALL non-paying customers off their tables. This time, our “family” (all of us basically are, with Julie and Shawn as parents) tried to sit at some tables next to a pretzel and drink shop. Some time later, the cashier came over and booted us out, claiming that our presence will make his boss upset. We ended up on the floor, trying to pass the time until our delayed flight. The rest of the day went by without anything noteworthy occurring—just the usual sitting in a plane. Evening found us in Istanbul, weary yet excited for the four days ahead…

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