My last day in Istanbul and my face gets lit on fire- 9.13.06

I woke up early, packed and ate breakfast. Breakfast was fun and spent alot of time chatting with James from Australia who is incredibly well travelled and picked up many intersting tips (plus heard many amusing stories). We walked to the Blue mosque but it was temporarily closed for prayer so we went off to Aya Sofia. I didn't want to go in as i was leaving soon and i NEEDED a shave.

Aya Sofia

Blue Mosque

I found a barber near the hostel. I sat in the chair and he lathered me up for about 5 minutes, massaging the soap into my face. He then whipped out a straight razor and went to town. Swish swish here and swoosh swoosh there and i was smoother than a babies backside. I thought i was done but he took out this cotton swab and sprayed with hairspray. This is new and different i thought. He then took out a lighter and lit the swab which flamed to about a foot high. "is he lighting a cigarette?" i thought...WAIT A MINUTE...IS HE GOING TO LIGHT MY FACE ON FIRE? before i could gather my thoughts he said "to get rid of small hairs" Next thing i new the bottom of ears, parts of cheeks and eye brows were briefly in flames...oddly i was quite calm about it and it didn't hurt at all. He then put on vasts amounts of various different lotions (this stung) and then massaged my face, head and neck for 5 minutes...BEST 6 or so dollars i have ever spent!

I leave for Belgrade, Serbia in an hour. As i have done all trip, i might chnage my plans and instead of going from serbia to croatia, i might stop in sarajevo, Bosnia...Will keep y'all posted.