after the mevlana museum i rode the tram car to the bus station for a night bus to istanbul. an old man helped me on when my big backpack got stuck in the tram doors and everybody watched.
the bus to istanbul was stewarded by a man in an orange clip-on bow tie and a white undershirt showing through his white dress shirt, and a gold ring. he walked up and down the aisle bringing water in plastic cups with peelback lids like puddings, and instant coffee also served out of plastic cups.
whenever we stopped an attendent in yellow rubber boots would wipe down each stopped bus with a hose attached to the end of a long-handled broom. the hose ran and ran, leaving the asphalt wet and shiny. at the far side of the parking lot a tiny storebought playground with swings.
the bus had a 'fasten seatbelts' sign but no seatbelts. the steward walked up and down the aisle with a bottle of citronella perfume, dousing out perfume wearing a clear plastic glove. the PA made played annoucements that used Unchained Melody as background music.
morning came and an eight lane bridge took us into the european half of istanbul, over a bridge labelled No Bikes, No Pedestrians, No Horses, No Tractors.
to the bus station and from there in to the city on the #830. a short man with no hips rode part of the way: black pants, black tight t-shirt, black cap, black sunglasses, a silver ring. a gun: a security guard. wore a fancy futuristic wraparound watch of black leather and silver, to go with the gun.
i started to recognize where i was as the bus drew close to taksim square, near the hostel i stayed at last time. after a short period of waiting, grimey and hot, mo picked me up in the little alfa which has had a new paint job, and my time alone in turkey was over after nearly six weeks.
it was half a day's drive back to burhaniye. i will be back in the big city in two weeks. in istanbul the tulips are black.
