Exchange in Istanbul: First days

This fall I'm doing an Erasmus exchange in Istanbul, Turkey. I'm trying to write this blog during my stay but let's see how it goes when the university starts. My university will be Fatih University which is located quite far from the centre of the Istanbul on the European side in the municipality of Büyükçekmece. I'm planning to stay in the university dormitories which should be a very interesting experience too.

But I'm already here in Istanbul 3 weeks before the university starts to get know how Istanbul and Turkey works. I'm staying first with my Turkish friend Can and his family. So far my plan has been very good: without Can's help and this slow introduction to Istanbul I would be probably totally culture shocking and wondering what the hell is happening around me. Thanks to Can's family I have got chance to get know Turkish food with easy way and public transportation is slowly getting more understandable for me. So far it seems that Turkish people aren't that good in English but they know enough so that I can survive here. And yes, I will be studying in English and my Turkish skills at the moment are nonexistent. But slowly Turkish words are starting to stay in my head.

Can lives in an area called Caddebostan between Kadıköy and Bostancı on the Asian side. I've been staying mostly here and we had walk with Can in Kadıköy and Üsküdar areas. Kadıköy has nice narrow walking streets full of restaurants, bars and cafés and in there I see only few other tourists. I recommend visit this area if you're staying longer in Istanbul. Üsküdar had more tourists because there is couple famous mosques and you can see the beautiful view over Bosphorus Strait to historical district of Istanbul with silhouettes of Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and Blue Mosque. Also the famous Maiden's Tower or Kız Kulesi is located in Üsküdar and there is nice café by the water where you can sit and enjoy one of the most beautiful views in this world. We also went to visit in Taksim Square and İstiklal Avenue on the European side where we met my friend from Finland who had extra time between her flights and she wanted to quickly visit in Istanbul.

The area where I'm staying is called Caddebostan. It is affluent area and famous Bağdat Caddesi or Baghdad Street is going through it. This street is full shops and restaurants and buzzling with people all the time. Caddebostan seaside had very nice park which locals really love. It is said to be one of the most liberal places in the city where everybody can hang around freely. The views from the park are nice too: you can see famous Princes' Islands from there. There is also public beach in the park.

So far the stay here in Istanbul and Turkey has been good. Let's see what future brings!

Singapore

Day 33

On my first full day in Singapore I decided to first walk around the neighbourhood where I was living. I was staying near Kampong Glam but first I needed to exchange money. I found after some struggles money exchange point in a small shopping centre and then it was time for Kampong Glam. It was already lunch time and I was hungry so I tried to find a nice place to eat. In Kampong Glam the houses are really interesting looking and colourful so I enjoyed my walk in there. There seems to be also many bars and cafés which look very hip. I found a restaurant which had same concept as the one restaurant in Seminyak, Bali. Kampong Glam is Muslim area so there is many Malay and Indonesian style restaurant there is this was one of them. Food was good and cheap. The place was located neart the Sultan Mosque at a street corner. I walked then to Sultan Mosque and shopped some souvenirs at the touristic shops next to it.

Then I decided to go see the Marina Bay area. This was probably the place I wanted to see most in Singapore. I took a bus from Kampong Glam and soon I was at Marina Bay. It's a walking distance but I wanted to save my legs for future. I left the bus in the middle of the skyscrapers and as I skyscraper fan I was very excited of this environment. I started to walk towards the newest attraction in the area: the Marina Bay Sands. Marina Bay Sands is three skyscrapers which are connected on the roof with garden and swimming pool. The complex is mostly hotel but there is also fancy shopping centre and casino. There viewing platform on top of the buildings and I wanted to visit there. The ticket price is 20 Singapore dollars which is quite a lot. You can see little bit of the garden and swimming pool from the platform but to actually visit you have to be a hotel guest. But views from the platform are nice and usually there is restaurant on the top but it was now closed. After the visit on top I walked around the shopping centre at the bottom of the buildings and bought my new favourite drink pearl milk tea.

I decided to walk back to the apartment. On the way I passed Singapore's symbol, the Merlion statue. It was very hot walk and I stopped on the way couple times in shopping centres to cool down. When I got to the apartment I tried to contact the bus company staff about my lost hat but they said to me that they're still looking for it or that they didn't found it at all. This made me annoyed. I went to eat at some Chinese place near the apartment and when I came back Kuni was also home and he offered me beer and we chatted little bit.

Day 34

My last full day in Asia. I started my day with a visit to Little India. Kuni lives in so good location that it is walking distance to all important places. So I walked from there to Little India. Little India was little bit like Kampong Glam architecturally: small colourful houses but here the Bollywood music was playing from every shop. I tried to go see Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple but it was just closed when I came there. I wanted to eat Indian food so I started to walk towards one of the food courts in the area. On the way I stopped to buy small Ganesha statue which I have wanted for long time. At the food court there was surprisingly more Chinese and Malay food for offer than Indian. But I found one stall and ordered some vegetable dish with naan bread. I shared table with tourists from India and we had talk, for my surprise, about Finnish long-distance runners.

After the big meal I decided to go see Chinatown. I took a metro this time and soon I was in the middle of busy Chinatown street. I walked first to see Sri Mariamman Hindu temple and there I realised that I have already seen enough Hindu temples for a while. Next I went to see Chinese temple called Buddha Tooth Relic Temple because it has tooth of Buddha inside. When I entered there was ceremony going on. I stopped to watch it for some time and continued to explore more of the temple. The temple is new and you can see how shiny and clean everything is still. Then I got lost in some weird shopping complex and I decided there was nothing interesting to see anymore in this part of the city so I decided to take a metro to Orchard Road.

At the Orchard Road I felt like sitting down somewhere and maybe eat a little bit. It turned out to be more harder task than what I expected. I only saw McDonald's but I didn't want to eat there. There was some cafés but I wanted to have some heavier that muffins for food. I then decided to just buy some fresh sugar cane juice and I started to walk back towards the apartment. Orchard Road has nothing special to offer for me but for shoppers it's heaven. When I got closer to Kuni's apartment I decided to buy sandwich from Subway because I was hungry. In the evening when Kuni came back from work he invited me to eat and also his other surfer which I have seen only once before this evening eventhough he has been here since I came to Singapore. We went to eat a food court near Kuni's apartment and Kuni's friend Jen joined us. This food court was very nice place and I had cendol there for dessert last time! After we came back to the apartment the bus company contacted me and said that they have found my hat! I could get it in the morning from the office.

Day 35

Last day and I was feeling little sad. I first went to get my hat from the bus company office. I felt so happy when I saw the familiar yellow plastic bag waiting for me on the sofa. Jen had recommended me last night the exhibition at the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) so I decided to go see it. I had first lunch at the food court in Chinatown where URA is also located. Jen told me about this popular chicken rice stall there and it was quite easy to find it: it was the only stall with huuuge line. It was lunch time and the food court was packed and it took me time to find one single place to sit. For me the chicken rice was average and I had better in Sungai Lembing market, Malaysia. I had also first time dragonfruit juice which is now one of my favourite juices ever. After luch I went to see the exhibition. But it was very nicely made, lots of interactive screens and some fun games which help you realise what problems small city state faces. And the exhibition is also free!

After that I started to walk back to the apartment through business district. I stopped to see Thian Hock Keng Temple which is small, very old Chinese temple in the middle of the skyscrapers. I also found out that Boat Quay is very nice place to stop resting while sightseeing in Singapore. I went to see also the biggest fountain in the world which is called the Fountain of Wealth. I don't know if it's still the biggest in the world because for me it seemed kind of small. At the apartment I packed my stuff and then went to eat at the same food court where we ate last night. From there I came back to the apartment, packed the very last things and then I took the metro to the airport. 

Singapore's Changi Airport is absolutely my favourite airport. Free computers to use with internet access, water bottle filling opportunities, lots of different eating possibilities, nice gardens and many things other things that I didn't even had chance to try. The flight departed on time and it went smoothly and I had good sleep. Again I had time to watch only one movie of the many choices. 

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I woke up when we were almost in Germany already. The weather was grey and rainy in Frankfurt, a totally different world from sunny Singapore. I had too much time between flights and Frankfurt airport is one of the most boring airports I've been. When the plane was landing to Helsinki to weather was very different again. It was snowing hard and everything was white. It was cold too. I experienced a total climate change on that day :D But it was also nice to be back home with amazing memories from the amazing trip!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 3

Day 30

I arrived to Kuala Lumpur around 1am. I walked to nearby hostel and went to sleep in there. In the morning I was feeling fresh again after shower and nice breakfast. Mason had arrived home and I met him there. We had lot to talk about and most of the day we spend talking about everything you could talk about.

Finnish presidential elections were going on and I went to give my vote in the embassy of Finland. It was quite difficult walk from the nearest metro station to the embassy. I had to cross highway and walk along it without any sidewalks. I got quite many looks from locals; stupid tourist on the move. After I entered the embassy I felt like I just came in small Finland in the middle of Malaysia. It was also weird to talk with Finnish persons. After I voted I went back to Mason's home.

Day 31

My last full day in Malaysia. Jon came back from Penang and joined us. I went to buy bus ticket to Singapore for the next day. In the evening we went to have my last dinner and then me and Mason wanted to go clubbing. Jon also came but they didn't let him in because he didn't wear shoes (he had flip flops). So he had to go back home but me and Mason partied hard. It was very nice last evening in Malaysia.

I liked Malaysia and Mason was very big help and one of the reasons I liked the country. Malaysia is very developed so it was also totally different from Indonesia. This time I only visited in West Malaysia so next time is maybe the time for Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. But I'm definitely going back there again. Malaysia is probably the easiest country to start a trip in Southeast Asia (well, Singapore is easy too).

Day 32

I felt little bit hangoverish when I woke up. Me and Mason said goodbye to each other and in the afternoon I took the bus to Singapore. Bus ride was long but I was already used to sit in the bus in Malaysia. What I like in Malaysia is the places where buses to stop so you can buy food and go to the toilet. Well, there is same kind of places in Europe too but these places have the Asian feeling with open air kitchens and much better food.

Bus only stopped in Johor Bahru bus station on the way and the next stop was the border between Malaysia and Singapore. Malaysian side went easily but then I had lots of problems at the Singaporean side of the border. We had to take all our stuff from the bus because of the customs check. So I took my backpacks but I left my Indonesian hat in the bus with my food and drinks. So first I had to fill the immigration card but I didn't have my own pen so I had to wait to somebody to borrow it to me. Then at passport checkpoint the lady asked me some questions which took time. Then there was the line for customs check where they checked the luggage. So when I finally arrived to the bus waiting area I didn't see my bus. I asked from guard if he happened to see the bus. He answered that the bus just left. I almost stopped breathing.

I called to my Singapore host and asked if he could go to the bus terminal and see if my bus was there and pick my hat. He was living next to the bus terminal so it was ok for him. Meanwhile I was running around like a headless chicken asking how I can go to the city centre. Local buses had huge lines and I had no brain functions left to start to understand where they are going. So I decided to take a taxi but then I had a problem again. I had no Singapore dollars yet. So I went for the taxi and I begged the driver if I could pay with Malaysian ringgits. He agreed (mostly because my smallest note was 100 ringgits and the taxi trip was only 15 Singapore dollars) and he took me to the bus terminal. I went to the bus company's office where I met my host Kuni and his friend Jen. They already had a fight with the people in the office and I was continuing it. They finally gave us contact number to the Johor Bahru bus station where my bus was located. Then we went to Kuni's home and I tried to calm down. Jen offered me dinner and then she called to the bus company and they promised to call back next day. That calmed me down. But thinking back it was quite a big fuss over a souvenir hat but hey, I don't know if I can ever go back to Indonesia to buy a new one. :D Finally it was time for sleep.

Penang, Malaysia

Day 27

We spend the day resting as next day we would travel to see the island of Penang and it's biggest city George Town. We checked the best bus company to use and planned what to visit and where to stay.

Day 28

In the morning we went to Pudu Sentral bus station and took a bus to Penang. We stayed awake very late last night so most of the trip went by sleeping. I woke up for short time near city of Ipoh and I saw impressing rock formations next to the road. Next time I woke was at the bridge to the Penang Island. I woke up Mason to see the view of turquoise sea. The bus left us at Sungai Nibong bus terminal where we took a local bus to George Town's Komtar Terminal. Our first mission was to find hostel. We had checked a good hostel from internet and we found it easily. Unfortunately it was full but they recommended other hostel for us. The next hostel was full too but they had also recommendation for us. It was new hostel called Room Mates and they had space! The workers in the hostel were very helpful and friendly and I really recommend it to everyone. The hostel was also very clean and perfectly located in the heart of George Town.

First we went to find food. Hostel staff recommended us some places to us and we went to see one of them. For dessert I had cendul, my new favourite dessert. After eating Mason really wanted to go see Kek Lok Si Temple outside of the city when me and Jon wanted to stay today in the city and go see it tomorrow. Somehow Mason won and soon we were in the bus going to Kek Lok Si. During the bus ride it started to rain and when we arrived to Kek Lok Si it was still raining hard. We started to to walk up to the hill and heard from people that were walking back down that the temple was closing soon. The temple has 2 levels, upper and lower. We had quick look around the lower level and then we climbed to the upper level where the big statue of Buddha is sitting. In there we had even quicker look because the temple was closing in a minute. Well I had more quicker look than the others because I had to make a bathroom break on the way. Thankfully it had stopped raining and on the way down I enjoyed the colours that sunset created on the clouds. Mosques also started to call people for evening pray and that sound created even more magical atmosphere.

Jon had actually lost Mason and I at the temple and we found him from the supermarket at the bottom of the hill. We took a bus back to city and then had dinner at the evening street market. After dinner we walked to the beach and found nice a spot to sit down behind Eastern & Oriental Hotel. Moon was shining from the clear sky so the view was nice. After sitting there some time we walked back to the hostel and passed some nice colonial buildings like St. George's Church. The buildings are nicely lit in the night.

Day 29

I must say that all kinds of stupid drama happened between the three of us since Melaka and I had enough of it this day. But drama is always there when you travel with friends. Soon you will know why I mentioned this.

I was first one awake in the hostel. I was also first one to go to sleep last night because I was feeling quite unsocial. Soon Mason joined me and then other hostel guests but I while I was alone I had nice talks with the hostel staff. When Jon woke up and had his breakfast we went for a walk. We visited in Kuan Ying Ten Temple which was near the hostel. Then we decided to visit in Pinang Peranakan Museum which was only short walk away. The museum is an old mansion of wealthy Peranakan family. The style was too European for my taste (well I like old European style but not outside of Europe) but it was very pretty museum.

From the museum we walked to the harbour to took some pictures. On the way there we passed some very European looking big buildings. I must say that I like very much the look of the George Town's historical centre. Penang is also famous for its food but I didn't had anything that was better than in other parts of Malaysia. But the island is must place to visit in Malaysia for beautiful George Town and impressive Kek Lok Si Temple. Mason wanted to go see the botanical gardens but we had trouble finding out which bus would take us there. I got frustrated and decided to skip it and stay in the city while Mason and Jon could go the gardens. I walked along one of the heritage paths that was marked on the map and I saw too many Chinese temples, some mosques and a Hindu temple. 2 days was enough for me in George Town but if you want to explore more of the island I recommend you to stay there longer.

While I was taking a break Mason texted me that he and Jon didn't go the botanical gardens but instead they went to a beach resort which was far from George Town. I got now very frustated (and I already mentioned in the beginning that I had been little annoyed couple days) and decided to leave back to Kuala Lumpur with or without them. I texted that I bought already bus tickets and they can come with the same bus or with some other bus. The bus left in the evening I was hanging around the city while waiting for it. Mason didn't come with the same bus as I. Jon decided to stay still one day in Penang.