Jewel of Istanble

"Sidra had finally arrived in Istanbul, and has no inkling what might happen to her.
her mind races as she tries to think of what might be found. Walking form the steps of the plane she heads insides and looks for the line that will lead her to imagination.

locating the lines she sets down her backpack opens it and searches for her passport. ha here it is, lowers her hand down and  pushes pass her date book and retrieves it. standing up Sidra lifts the backpack up and walks up to the desk, She headed to and stops and waits..

without a sound the man reaches forward and holds up his palm and looks at Sidra. he points to the  passport and then to his hand. slowly Sidra places the passport onto his palm and watches as he looks it over.

how long are you here?
Sidra thinks and then states about 6 months maybe a bit longer.
Why?
To learn about Istanbul and a vacation.
he nods....picks up the stamp, and opens up to the last page and stamp her passport for her first entry into Istanbul....

Welcome, hands back her passport, returns to reading the newspaper. Sidra takes the
passport puts it into her backpack, lifts it up and puts it on, turns and walks out the front of the airport.

Sidra smiles to herself, hearing someone yelling, ride, ride, town....ride, ride town. she moves over to the older man...please ride town and motions with her hand the sign to eat.

yes, yes come, come he pulls her to the taxi and opens the back door.. Sidra bends over and lays the backpack on the set and turns to him. looks a bit confused and worries that he may take her someplace she really didn't want to go.

no problem lady, you go eat, I take you now lady no problem, sit, sit sit. slowly she gets in and sits down, the door closes and she is  in another world, smells she dose not

know but is up to the adventure of finding out. pulling out from the entrance way onto the dirty street she leans back and watches around her as he drives off to town. while looking at everything she hears her driver ask.

Lady you hungry? "yes I am" Sidra replies. good good then lady will be happy where we go......
within 25 minutes the taxi pulls up next to a small outdoor cafe, very close to a
market, where she could go and buy many different things. he pulls over and gets out moves to the rear and opens the door.

please lady your bag, she passes the bag to him gets out, puts her hand into her jeans
and fishes out some bills, pulls off a few and asks is this enough?

yes lady very good. takes the bills and wades them into his pants turns slams shuts the
rear door, walks to the front and slides onto the front sit, looks back and pulls away and is gone.

Standing in the middle of the street she turns around and scans all the tall sandstone business, homes which surround her, rich smell of spices awash Sidra senses. Wind Flowing from side to side bring many different sounds, sounds of many whom are singing their wares to be bought.

Sidra, walks into a small restaurant that has outside tables for those that want to watch the flow of beauty around. She stands for a few moments just outside the open doorway trying to decide wither to go inside or to just step down and onto the deck and find a place to sit.

"hmm mm" turns to the left steps down finding brightly covered tables locates just the right on a few steps from the road, smooths  her brown shorts sits, lifts her hand and wipes her forehead. slowly she reaches and takes off sun-glass that were covering her dark sultry eyes, she study's what lays around her.

Seconds pass by without her even knowing it, she turns Smiling and thinks, how lucky she was to be able to come and visit Istanbul. Perspiration slowly starts to bead  upon golden tan skin, sliding down. Background noise, sights and smells start to bleed in on her while the mid-morning sun warmth starts to fill the air around.

Realizing it is been about twenty minutes since she had seated herself, and knows it is time to get something to drink. Reaching over the table top ,finding a small drink menu open its, looks it over. Running a slim index finger down the list,"realizes that it is in English" stops on the second to the last item knowing that this is what she wants to drink.

Twinkling from hand made beads, brings Sidra attention to the entrance to the kitchen. From the depth of the doorway steps a tall, man, dressed in long white shirt with gold and peacock blue embroidered scenes upon it. long honey colored hair frames dark bedroom eyes. He approaches her and stops just in front of the table.

Sidra looks up and smiles, holds up her slim hand in a sign to wait for a moment. he nods at her and relaxes into a stand waiting for her order. as Sidra returns her gaze to the menu she notices his names is Me med, quickly she decides on a tall sparkling water with fruit.

Do you speak English? she asks him
Yes I do he replies back to her
Great Nina smiles up to him, then I am ready to place order. and by gosh it is really hot

here at this time of day! Sidra tells Me med.
Yes. it sure is this time of day, and most of those that live here are at their homes

taking a nap.