Istanbul: Day Three

Turkish flags.

Wandering around the city.

Shopping in the Grand Bazaar.
The Grand Bazaar is an overwhelming labyrinth of shops and booths-- pashminas, evil eyes, fabrics, trinkets, silver, gold, tapestries, rugs, souvenirs.

Tea cafe in the Grand Bazaar.

Yummy apple tea.

Istanbul University.

In a mosque.

Washing up before prayer.

Egyptian obelisk in the Hippodrome.

Turkish carpets!

Hellen does not look pleased.

The Pudding Shop.
Clinton has been here.

Turkish coffee.
Way too strong for me.

Apple nargile.

This was a great bar-- tons of locals.
However, as seemed to be the trend in Muslim Istanbul, there were about 50 men and only 5 women, including Hellen and me.

Sister Hellen Elizabeth --> Moslem Hellen

Cemetary outside the bar/cafe.

After nargile and tea we hit up the Turkish bath.

Inside the Turkish bath, you start out laying on the heated marble shown above. After you've baked and sweated up for a bit, these big topless Turkish women come out and soap and scrub you down. Vigorously. I came out a few shades lighter. Afterwards, Hellen and I had 30-minute oil massages and mud masks.

Another example of the interior of the Turkish bath.

Post-Turkish bath.
Sanford had such a good massage, his eyes wouldn't fully open for the next half hour. He looked like he'd been smoking some hash.