I'm sitting in the istanbul airport now waiting for my new flight gate to pop up. What an insane two days I've had, but how I've seen God's goodness!
I spent two nights in Rome, having mistaken my departure date. Both evenings a torrential downpour descended from the heavens, thoroughly drenching everything! Also there were huge protests in the city, one of which I (accidentally) saw from the perifery, along with about ten other dazed scared tourists who had thought piazza navona a nice place to spend an evening! Ha! Not that one!
In between the protests and rain I got to see some friends and some awesome churches in Rome, eighth century mosaics, a cool Michelangelo statue, two great pizzas, plus I knew my way around this city! Ha!
Then there was both rain and strike this morning in Rome, so I had the hotel get me a taxi and upon hearing the drivers description of the chaos just had him take me to the airport. On the way there we had a fascinating conversation (in Italian yay!) About everything from the strikes to international travel. He did most of the talking, but it was a conversation I could not have had two months ago. It amazes me that in Italy even taxi drivers are so aware of the world and travel. Puts the US to shame. (Sorry, random aside)
Then in the airport I had a long nd interesting conversation with an iranian documentary maker!
Turkish airlines by the way has amazing service and daggone good plane food. Gormet truly, even in economy class. Amazing! Flavorful! This awesome butterish stuff that was heavenly, hot rolls extra virgin olive oil for the salad! Wow!
Then I got to istanbul with eight hours to kill so I got a visa, took the metro and tram to the blue mosque, popped inside (and everyone has to take shoes off so it smells like feet which I did not expect!
I tried to go to the hagia sophia but it was closed by the time I got there. Took the tram and metro back (by now its rush hour) but everyone was so kind. I survived my first time in a muslim country, my first time in a place where I do not understand even one word of the language, and this makes me know that the Lord is with me!
In all these thing, through storms and protests and different languages, it is amazing to see the care my good shepherd is taking of me. More on that later!
