I CAN POOOOOSSST!!!!!

Woo Hoo! I can post! Or more specifically, I can log on! SOOOO excited!
The last hostel I was at had these frustrating computers that wouldnt let me do a whole heap of things, the big one being log onto my blog.
But the continual frustration is that I cant upload photos again. Bugger. Ill try to work it out, but for now will have to make do with just my banter...
Im in ISTANBUL! Not Constantinople. No, it's Istanbul, not Constantinople. Nanana na na... Sorry, couldnt help myself. Im turning into Dad! :)
But first Ill tell about my last week. I spent last week in Sevilla, Spain, attending the Feria de Abril. Ill explain this, as few people Ive spoken to know about it, and its quite an unusual event.
The Feria de Abril is Sevilla's biggest festival, and one of the biggest festivals in Spain. But it's not a tourist festival, like the running of the bulls, and the tomato throwing craziness (which I SOOO wanna come back for!). Sevilla has a specific site for the Feria's which just has a whole heap of streets, and they set up HEAPS of tents (we're talking OVER 15 hundred!), called Casetas. They vary in size, and are all individually decorated. We're talking wallpaper, frieses, flowers, lanterns, paintings, bull fighting posters, the whole shebang! THey are like little homes!
Now most of the Casetas are privately owned, either by companies or families. I asked a friend about this, and apparently it costs around 20-25 THOUSAND euros a year to hire a Caseta!
To get into these Casetas, you need to be on the guest list, or sometimes if you know someone inside, or if your really good friends with the door guy. So it really pays off to know a local, which of course I didnt. Until the first day.
I was having breakfast, and the kitchen was completely empty. And I couldnt work the coffee machine, so I went to reception and asked, and a guy, who obviously worked there, came and helped me. We got talking and before I knew it, he was inviting me to a rooftop BBQ one of his friends was having.
Now I know what you're thinking- SASCHA! That sounds SOOO dodgy!
But Ive gotten into the habit of really looking at a situation and then judging, and this didnt feel weird. And lucky I did go, because Manuel (thats the guys name) turned out to be totally awesome! He had an American friend staying with him, Sarah, who is one of the most gorgeous girls ive met on my travels! We got along SOO well, that actually she delayed leaving so we could hang out some more.
The rooftop BBQ was SOO nice. Just eating and drinking and flamenco dancing.
I spent the week with Manuel, Sarah, and especially this lovely young married couple, Amy (American) and Manuel (a different Manuel, Spanish). Manuel 1 introduced me to his family at their Caseta, and his dad, then also his mum, taught me some Flamenco dancing! And I found out later that his dad was a bull fighter! Cool! I danced flamenco with a bull fighter!

So that was basically my whole week! Getting up at 11, lunch at 3 or 4, siesta at 7, dinner at 11, and dancing till 4am! No Worries!
Except now my body clock is totally spun out!

I arrived in Istanbul last night, and after FINALLY finding my way to the hostel, I grabbed a kebab (they are SOOO good here, different to at home. More like a sub really. And SOOO cheap. Yay for not being in the euro anymore. 3 liras, equivalent to just under 3 ozzie dollars is expensive!) And I had fully intended to just crash, but then met heaps of people in the hostel, and hence had a beer and chatted... so got to bed around 2ish. Not TOOO late.
:)

Today I needed to go to the Syria Embassy, and the experience was even worse than in Lisbon! Took me 2 hours to find the place, only for them to tell me I needed to obtain a letter of recommendation from my embassy and come between 9 and 11 in the morning, then shut the door in my face! Nevermind that I had NO idea where my embassy was!
Luckily I found a lovely travel company, who found the address for me, then I managed to get the letter. So tomorrow, I have to go back and HOPEFULLY they can give me a visa before Friday. Bugger I HATE visa stuff!
Word to the wise- NEVER book trips to iffy places spur of the moment. The night before you leave Australia so TOOOOO spontaneous, and just causes pain.

But anyway, with the letter of recommendation I REFUSED to be down, so I went to the Spice Market and it was AMAZING!!!! All the colours and noises and smells... I was just overwhelmed! And walked around and around and LOVED it! So feeling really good now, despite the crappy start to the day.
Oh and the baclava here! OMG!!!!!! Im in love! Ooo, and the tea! Thats awesome too!

Okay, so Id better get off the computer. Going to go check out some of this street food for dinner. Wish me luck :)
And wish me double luck with the stupid embassy tomorrow...