Arnavutkoy Afternoon

My last day in Istanbul necessitated a long morning doing all those things that you have to do before travelling. Then at 13.15 I walked down the hill and in to Arnavutköy villlage with Celeste in order to have lunch with Marshall at Eylül restaurant.  Sean showed up as too and the four of us whiled away the entire afternoon in the ordinary way that friends do - and yet this was different, not just because I leave tomorrow to go back to Akbuk, but more significantly, Marshall leaves on Tuesday for a new job, and new life back in the United States after ten years here in Istanbul.  Saying goodbye to a friend in the knowledge that it is very unlikely you'll meet again is the painful side of an international life.

Back home around 6, the evening has consisted of laundry and packing and left over pizza, with Nohut the cat for company.

The girl in today's photo was one of the more 'interesting' characters to walk past Eylul street cafe this afternoon bringing "keeping out of the sun" to a whole new level.