Its always about the people and the city...

“Where are you from?” “India…” “eh?” “Um…India…” “Oh! Hindustan!” That’s how a normal conversation will start for you in Turkey, and mind you, with a big warm exclamation of how you have come from a far-far away land of India to Turkey. If you are an Indian, the guess would be that you should be settled in London. Turkey is different from other European nations- not only because it is Bosphorus divided half Europe-half Asia but in many other ways. One, it surprises you with warm people. Two, it has way too many hindi words in its vocabulary- like my favorite of course is   Chai . It’s cold because of too much   Hawa   and if someone wants to light a cigarette, he will ask for ‘ aatish !’You will eat   kofte   and   Pilav   and other endless things in lexicon…Culturally also there are enough similarities in terms of people, diversity, treatment to women, clothes etc. Planning and reaching there is not a problem with VOA for people with UK/US/Schengen

It must be one of the most sudden and abrupt plan. I was on my usual night walk when it happened. Few rounds of my building, couple of phone calls, usual state of peaceful mind with messed up thoughts... I was done for the day, tired and about to retire when it happened. Next I knew I was sitting on table listening to some deep conversation. My presence was kinda plastic, as if I was present but not part of that scene. I don't know if I chose not to say anything or I wasn't allowed. No one acknowledged me or even seemed to care if I was listening, but somehow it never occurred to me that I should get up and leave... It did not occur also what I was doing there and do I really know these two people. They were not strangers, specially the way they were speaking...infact their voice was damn familiar. I knew I have spoken, or at least heard them before. I did not think of what their names were. I didn't think if knew or wanted to know their names anyway. I'd call the