googling London "rents" "city council tax" "average commuting times"...

the other day out of the blue i decided to make "ginger tea". i think the more appropriate term is ginger water... i just sliced some ginger into a mug (from the root we have in the fridge) and poured hot water on top. and added 1 sweetener on top. we do have honey but im not int any of that "natural health BS" am i ??!! :D then i made it again. and again. not sure why, its not especially tasty, nor the opposite. but i do believe the science that has proven *some* of gingers benefits. but i can still question my behavior. its not like i am ill and need something. well, while that ginger is in the fridge, i may keep doing this. why not. 

one of the many Chris...New Years trees around kadiköy. the decorations are festive and it only makes this district better.

 

 this is the bar next to our home. i think the lights outside the now covered terrace are lovely! 

 
this past sunday i decided to get some fresh air and went to a nearby "geek bazaar" that was held  in a bar. they have a backyard as well as a cute interior area. people were drinking beer in some tables, and others were selling stuff in the next.  there were handmade as well as more commercially produced things. a lot of Star Wars stuff (surprise?).  note the pillow case on the shelf. i didnt buy one pillow cases but was tempted.

 reminds me, there are so many new bars and cafes in kadiköy, it seems like a new one pops up every week, maybe two. many of them are quiet similar to each other; a bit rustic, with some import beers (thats the trend now, kadiköy has become hipster after all) and foreign music in the playlist.

i like these ones that spread over to the street. although, i do NOT want to sit there in the night when its 10 degrees! these are heavens for smokers, and 90% of turks are smokers. 

this small corner bar belongs to the same owner as the previous one, i believe. the local residents are not loving these suddenly spring up in their building... 

you cant always tell cafes from bars though, they are both open late and can have a similar decor; this is a cafe:

 for this, no idea if its a cafe or a bar.

this is a cafe. 

and this one is a cafe, im pretty sure. 

its not just new bars and cafes that kadiköy is a home to, its also small jewellery shops, handmade items, gift shops that are growing in numbers...  i dont mind :) 

doctor received his IELTS exam results last week and the points were enough to pass UK medical license pre-requirements. what a stress off our (his) shoulders. we did spend some time contemplating this country thing again, since we have the choice, but UK  and London in particular still seemed like the safest and most attractive options. everyone i talked to had an opinion of course. and the grass is always greener...  but in the end its a psychological thing. australia has the weather and laid back attitude, and i dont have much negative to say about them, but i am drawn to the metropolis called London. and doctor is too, although he is more flexible. well, we just had to choose in the end, because medical license applications cost serious money and for the sake of our own mental health its good to have 1 goal, instead of various possible goals. although anything could happen i guess, you have to be prepared for plans changing, ive learned that in turkey...  the medical license application process then, im not even gonna get into it, it looks daunting. the amount of papers they want is crazy. and the hospitals here are so informal to begin with, assessment forms and patient feedback...hah! i really worry how doctor is going to get together even half of the things the UK medical board is asking for. but if others have done it before him, it must be possible...