Breakfast in the “Pudding Shop” again, to the accompaniment of old English music favourites and then off we set for Taksim (even further afield, passed the British Consulate). Our goal was the American Express Office situated in the Istanbul Hilton Hotel. Again we wove through well known streets passing traffic jams and disreputable-looking characters selling watches and calculators. The old oversize American cars which served as taxis (Taksi’s) hooted their horns in the press as we hurried towards the Bosphorus Bridge.
We found the Hilton with it’s out of place luxury – swimming pools and unnaturally green lawns amidst the packed banks and offices – and I was directed to the American Express Bank over the road. It was closed for lunch so we killed 2 hours watching Chuck Norris and David Carradine battling it out in “Lone Wolf McQuade” in the cinema next door. Pure corn and mindless fun – James Bond and Dirty Harry rolled into one.
In the bank I changed 3x£100 travellers cheques into 15x£20 without too much fuss (very polite), while George chatted to an American Archaeologist and his wife who were appalled to hear that we had not visited any of the museums or the “The Anatolian Civilisations: XVIIIth European Art Exhibition”. We raced back to “Joe’s” for a feast and returned to our hotel room.
A read, wash and shave later we re-emerged into the world and hit the Sultan Pub for a quick livener before an abortive tour brought us back to “Madams” place on the corner where we had spent the last few nights. Tiny kids did their daily rounds trying to sell chewing gum with their pleading eyes as we chatted and slagged off the trendier travellers (see the movie “The Inbetweeners 2” for a good portrayal of their ilk) in their local attire and cigarettes.
Then on to Joe’s Pancake Parlour for our usual snack, where our now familiar faces brought a smile to “Joe’s” otherwise dour expression. A couple of drunken pimps accosted us but George told them we were Czechs and, lost for words, they buggered off.
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