Istanbul is a strange combination of European and Middle Eastern. The city is twisty and windy and thrumming with life. Crowds were streaming into and out of the Grand Bazaar. The smell of fish is everywhere along the river, where there are restaurant boats, fish sandwich sellers, and chestnut roasters. Near the top of the Tünnel, there are bars with open-air-seating lining alleys, where live music is playing, pints are being had, and people-watching is top-drawer.
The weather was coolish and gloriously sunny - perfect for sight seeing. We stayed in a very touristy part of town, which had is advantages and drawbacks. It was a less-than-five-minute walk from the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia, which I left feeling wiser. The area is clean and strangely Western looking in odd ways. On the down side, a lot of Turkish men constantly and persistently tried to practice their English with us as they sold their wares.
Turkish food is wonderful. Tons of vegetables, lamb, apple tea - separately, of course. We could almost always see the water from the restaurants where we ate. Our hotel gave us incredible breakfasts every morning that included home-made yogurt and olives. Apparently, I am the honey to the standard-touristy-restaurant waiters' bees. I was once given a half bottle of wine. It was getting out of hand.
I proved, again, that I am my father's daughter. At the end of our beautiful boat tour of the Bosphorus, I had the nerve to say "Good thing we're back in the harbor. Thirty more minutes and I don't think I'd have made it." I then promptly tossed my cookies off the back of the boat. TMI? Sorry...
Here is a smattering of pictures:
Turkish delight-ed,
Maria
The weather was coolish and gloriously sunny - perfect for sight seeing. We stayed in a very touristy part of town, which had is advantages and drawbacks. It was a less-than-five-minute walk from the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia, which I left feeling wiser. The area is clean and strangely Western looking in odd ways. On the down side, a lot of Turkish men constantly and persistently tried to practice their English with us as they sold their wares.
Turkish food is wonderful. Tons of vegetables, lamb, apple tea - separately, of course. We could almost always see the water from the restaurants where we ate. Our hotel gave us incredible breakfasts every morning that included home-made yogurt and olives. Apparently, I am the honey to the standard-touristy-restaurant waiters' bees. I was once given a half bottle of wine. It was getting out of hand.
I proved, again, that I am my father's daughter. At the end of our beautiful boat tour of the Bosphorus, I had the nerve to say "Good thing we're back in the harbor. Thirty more minutes and I don't think I'd have made it." I then promptly tossed my cookies off the back of the boat. TMI? Sorry...
Here is a smattering of pictures:
Turkish delight-ed,
Maria
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