Istanbul Idiosyncracies

Photos will come later but here are some random observations of this very small corner of Istanbul:

1. So many of the concrete patches/repairs have footprints, tire prints in them, etc. done when the concrete was still obviously wet. Why?

 

 

2. Spitting in the street - ugh, lots of it (no photos!).

3. With all the cat food and dropped sugar cubes from tea sellers (ok, will have to do a post on them) why are there so few ants? have had a few mosquito bites, noticed a few house flies, the occasional gnats, but not much else insect-wise. Cold weather? (still unseasonably cold here).

4. All food gets delivered here: trays of tiny hour-glass shaped glasses of tea are on the streets at all times of the day; lunchtime sees waiters walking with plates of hot food under cling film; motorcyclists deliver not just Domino's Pizza but McDonald's, KFC and BurgerKing!

5. On the subject of motorcycles, for some reason, pedestrians have to share what little pavement there is with them. It's a little scary to find one roaring up behind you or towards you when there are only inches to spare between a building and a parked car.