Winter, is that you?!

Hold up a second. Last weekend, I wore a t-shirt around in the 70 degree weather. This weekend, I spent most of my time hiding from the snow. This doesn't make sense to anyone else either, does it? Just checking.

One lesson I've learned while living in a country where I don't speak the language is that if I want to get something done, I have to plan it ahead of time. Spontaneity will only get you so far, and is generally accompanied by some degree of stress. I have spent the past three months in Istanbul assuming that I would stumble into Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque at a time that was convenient for me. Anyone that goes to Istanbul can tell you that these are two absolute must see attractions. They lie across from each other in the Sultanahmet district, and can therefore both be checked off the list in one afternoon. I have been living here since mid September, and it wasn't until yesterday that I finally went inside of them. To some, this may seem normal. What's the rush? They've been there for hundreds of years, and will hopefully remain for hundreds more. It's not like I hadn't seen them from the outside. I've been to Sultanahmet plenty of times. I've explored Topkapi, checked out the Basilica Cistern, and survived the Grand Bazaar. However, as an Art History major with a special interest in Byzantine art and architecture, I am absolutely disgraced by my negligence with regard to these two landmarks. Especially the Hagia Sophia. This building was what inspired me to come to Istanbul.

I finally realized that I wasn't going to wind up seeing them without some prior planning. Luckily, my friend Katherine Conaway decided to take a weekend trip from her job teaching in Sofia to come visit Istanbul. Unlike Sara, Kat had never been to Turkey. What better way for me to spend my Saturday afternoon than catching up with a friend and seeing some incredible architecture?

As I mentioned above, these kinds of things take planning. Unfortunately, in the wise words of Outkast, "You can plan a pretty picnic but you can't predict the weather." Thank you, Andre 3000 and Big Boi. I never thought I would quote you in a blog about Istanbul. So as you may have guessed, the weather was terrible. A wintery mix, as they say-- rain, snow, and wind. I am proud to say that we were NOT deterred. We saw both Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and spent the rest of our time hiding from the weather. This "hiding" involved lots of food and tea, because I couldn't let Kat leave without having lots of the local cuisine. While escaping the elements, she and I did a lot of catching up and talking about our experiences living abroad. I'd say we managed to make the most out of the horrendous weather! So it looks like winter, or some variation on it, is finally here. Luckily, in true New England fashion, I'm equipped with some sturdy Bean Boots and a (mostly) weather-proof attitude. Bring it on, Istanbul winter.

As a wintery-themed side note, Stella and I decided to make stir-fry for dinner while listening to Christmas music on my computer. Stella got weepy cutting the onions, and I tried to catch it on video. The Christmas bow on her head is what really makes the video complete.