I visited the Galata Tower in Istanbul. Built by the Genoese in 1348, and named by them as Christea Turris (Tower of Christ), which itself replaced the  byzantine Megalos Pyrgos. This former tower was used by a garrison to control the Golden Horn; unsurprisingly it was destroyed in the fourth crusade. There is a viewing storey at the top with Panaromic views of Istanbul, a reataurant and nightclub - standard tourist attractions. Outside there ar cafes and street artists, but there is a seamier life in the back streets. Syrian refugee children are used to beg for money and Albanian and other east European girls sell sex in back alleys.

Galata Tower ceiling of restaurant

I had to have some dental treatment in Istanbul. 30 minutes after a telephone call on a Saturday, my treatment was complete. I could see some children's drawings in the surgery and a collage picture of Kemal Attaturk, father of the Republic. The pictures were given by children who had been patients of the dentist - I felt relieved that he must be good for children to make presents for him. He pointed out the cute, smiley, hearts and all picture from a little girl and the much more sombre picture from a boy. He said the difference represented the difference between the genders. I asked about it and the history lesson began. He reached out for a rare coffee table sized book on Ataturk, showing me photographs of him as a young soldier, then as a world statesman. Then came the story that Vladimir Lenin sent arms to Ataturk to fight the allies. I asked why he would do that when neither Turkey nor Ataturk were communist. Apparently Lenin's thinking was that any enemy of imperialism was worth supporting. I was then shown a picture of the dentists father as a child - wearing a dress and a framed collection of his hair locks. The dentist refused to take any money, so i took and sent some photos. The man in the chair is a friend.

On my travels, I met the Turkish National Wrestling team, just returned from Germany. The coach is about half the size of the wrestlers but ruled them with a rod of iron. The team were cheered by fans at Istanbul - but two young women behind them weren't interested.......

Turkish National Wrestling team