Ataturk Airport looks reasonably modern enough. However, there are enough quirks to make you think, “hmmmmm”. For example, you go through TWO rounds of security, first with your bags and such to get to the checkin counter and then AGAIN after you clear passport control. A through F are all Turkish Airlines counters. G is where other airlines, today it’s British Airways, are. Again, as noticed on arrival AND in town, there is NO free Wi-Fi for travelers to use. Zilch. If there’s any wifi to be had, you have to hunt down a lounge. Which is what I do next.

The Airport is basically laid out as follows: After you clear security and passport control and security again, you are dropped into the Big Duty Free and Shopping Area in the middle of the Airport. Gates are laid out on opposing sides of the big duty free and shopping area. Lounges are on opposite sides of the airport. The One World lounge, which is also the Priority Pass lounge and is contracted and HSBC Premier (bring the damn card again!) Lounge are on the side with the food court which has a selection of western fast food as well as a selection of local eateries. The Turkish Airlines lounge and some private jet set lounge is on the opposite side of the Big Duty Free and Shopping Area downstairs from the Starbucks. I would like to point out that the BA lounge and Gate 501, which I will go into more detail later, are on extreme opposite ends of the airport. Usually, a lounge is close to it’s gates. The NH lounges at NRT are smack in the middle of the NH gates. The UA club at NRT is close to the UA customer service area. At HKG, the SKL is near the SQ gates. Not here so prepare for a trudge.

Part of the shopping area that has lots of local treats and such is called the Old Bazzar. It’s a themed shopping area stocked with traditional Turkish goods such as coffee, tea, Turkish Delights and other yummy things. So this Turkish shop naturally doesn’t take their own currency. No Liras, only Euros. Which makes everything there an *ahem*, RIP OFF. Too bad. Buy your omiyage outside when you’re in town. It’s at least half the price. Maybe that explains why they are so well stocked.

Why don’t they accept their own currency? It reminds me of those third world states that only take USD and gives you back inconvertible local currency. One of the things that I fell for here in Istanbul is their coffee house culture and their sweets. See: Hafiz Mustafa 1864. It would have been nice to bring some omiyage back. Of course, if you're hungry, the eateries in the food court only take Lira so if you’ve already converted your Lira because you saw everything at the Big Duty Free and Shopping Area priced in Euro, you’re hosed. Why does baklava cost 80 Lira?

If you’re at Gate 501+, your plane is at a remote stand which means queueing for a bus but more annoyingly, a 20 minute trudge past what we earlier established was the other end of the airport, with the Starbucks. Don’t worry, about halfway to the remote gates, Skyteam and another pay lounge await. At least this wing of the airport has moving sidewalks. After waiting on the unheated bus for 10 minutes after boarding, it finally pulls out. It’s almost like the driver is stalling for time to ferry us to our aircraft. I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a bus that went so slow but still counted as “moving”.

Then, after we board the BA A320, we find out that the air traffic controllers across Germany and Italy are on strike and it’s delaying departing traffic out of IST. Here’s something the authorities over there should Google: “PATCO”. Although the cabin crew are confident I will make my connection to SFO, I always worry when connections and strikes mix. I would like to mention that inbound, BA flew a comfortable 767. We are now on an A320 BUS in the Air. The cabin crew is cheerful enough. English breakfast was served. And eventually, we will arrive at LHR and the Galleries Lounge.

The entertainment was interesting. Apparently the Egyptian government is trying Morsi. BBC is showing lots of videos of the Army looking mean while Morsi is in a cage in the courtroom. Bias, perhaps? How about going over the crimes Morsi committed while in power. Coptics anyone? Nah, can’t talk about that. Guess that’s where US media gets it from. Since this a BA bus, the entertainment isn’t. The movie that’s being shown on the main screens is “Enough Said”, a horrid politically correct film with two men who do nothing but look supportive for the Pious driving main character played by Julia Louis Dreyfus. And one of them is the late James Gandofini! They make an appearance about 1/3 of the way through the movie and disappear. This is supposed to be a movie about two middle aged people who are rediscovering dating life. However, the first 15 minutes is all women. No men. In this parallel universe (which looks like West LA), men don’t exist. Then one shows up and promptly walks off. It’s almost like the men in the movie are used as props. When the couple finally meets up again at the end of the movie, you can tell who the dominant is. I thought the movie was supposed to be about two people. Politically correct claptrap that unfortunately is how a lot of TV shows and commercials are nowadays. No wonder Top Gear UK is such a popular with both men and women.