Baklava in Istanbul, chocolates and beer in Brussels, and the final exams

Ciao again!

Hagia Sofia, Sultanahmet

It has been a long time since I last created a post for this blog, but that is due to some problems with my accommodation here in Rome which disrupted my motivation to write anything, also the study of the exams has really been a real pain in my ass for the couple of last weeks.

Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet

But to start with the travels and happenings I have experienced here, on the last weekend of November I allowed myself to visit Istanbul (the flights from Rome were far cheaper than those from Helsinki) and for the first time experience a completely different culture compared to the Western one - in the end, it was almost the complete opposite. Everything seemed to be in order, the public transportation worked perfectly and the streets were tidy and clean as ever. There was even a large shopping mall (Cevahir) which had one floor dedicated to the American fast-food chains. But most of all, I enjoyed the somewhat exotic atmosphere of the city; the Grand Bazaar, the smell of shisha, Turkish people referring to me as "friend" when I left from their presence (and they were not sarcastic). Overall, Istanbul was a fine city, where only once I felt unsafe at a time when I drifted to an area with only weapon stores everywhere. Another city (and country) I want to experience yet another time.

There was also something special done in Rome despite all this travelling. I went to my first ever Champions league match between AS Roma and Manchester City - in a way it was spectacular experience but in a way, it was a disappointment. The atmosphere before the first City goal was amazing but after that, the Italian fans just quit and let the City fans to roar and yell as much as they liked. Italians really have to learn not to give up, also in football...

Bruges

Second last weekend of my stay involved (yet again) travelling. I was convinced by my roommate to visit Belgium in the middle of the exam period, and of course I agreed to tag along. It was a nice finale for my travellings during my exchange, nice beer, even nicer chocolate and the atmosphere of a little more organized country than Italy, and there was also the a little familiar coldness of December I have gotten more used to. So in Belgium we had the time to visit idyllic Bruges and the "capital of Europe", Brussels.

Grand place/Grote markt, Brussels

So my travelling during my exchange has ended I must say that I haven't regretted any location I visited. While writing this it has been nearly two hours since I finished my last oral exam (which is also the last exam here), so I am happy and now starting to wait for the final gatherings of our group before my departure back to Finland on 22.12....

I will write the last post from the cold North after the relieving warm of sauna...

Ci vediamo!