Istanbul: Day Two

We started each day enjoying a breakfast buffet on the rooftop terrace of our hotel.
Gorgeous views of the city and the Sea of Marmara with the sun shining in our faces-- great way to start the day.

Sanford enjoying his breakfast.

Gretchen and little Donovan.

People in the Middle East LOVE babies. Gretchen and Tim got green stickers on their passports and blew right through security at the Tel Aviv airport, while the rest of us got yellow stickers and were subjected to questioning and full baggage rifling. Getting our passports stamped in Istanbul, the security dude came out of his little cubby just to hold and play with Donovan. Gretchen was mauled by Turkish schoolchildren at Topkapi palace, who swarmed around to kiss and pet Donovan. Gretchen said that once while eating out in Tel Aviv, the owner of the restaurant came by when they sat down, scooped up Donovan, and didn't return until they were done with their meal.

Sultan Jackie.

Hellen and I in the hotel.

Our hotel was amazing. Great accomodations right in heart of Sultanhamet-- the Old City-- the site of all the great mosques and major historical attractions. We were only a few blocks from the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofya, Topkapı Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and the Spice Market. Sanford is a fabulous trip planner.

Fishermen on the Golden Horn.

Bridge over the Golden Horn.

On the ferry heading up the Bosphorus.

Dolmabahçe Palace.

Fortress of Europe-- built by Mehmet II in 1452.

New and old.

Too many jellyfish!

This city is known for its yogurt.

The Genoese Castle: our final destination.

Anadolu Kavaği.

Cutie.
Four months old and already a heart breaker.

Walking up to the Genoese Castle.

Beautiful views of the Bosphorus.

Kim-Jo-Phan.

The Genoese Castle: a 14th-century Byzantine fortress.

Oh you know, just sitting on the wall of an old 14th-century Byzantine fortress...

Those two dots on the wall are Hellen and me.

The Bosphorus emptying into the Black Sea.

The Black Sea.

Back in the city enjoying a good Efes.
(Funny because efes means zero in Hebrew.)

Can't get enough of this guy.

Back on the ferry.

Back in Eminönü.

Street shopping under the Tram.

Rüstem Paşa Mosque.

Men washing before prayer.

Spices!

Leeches for sale.

Entering the Spice Bazaar.

Amazing.

Buying apple tea and Turkish delight.
I always thought Turkish delight was nothing more than a fictional dessert from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. But no, Turkish delight is real and it's amaaaaazing.

Aphrodisiac shop.

Entrance to the Grand Bazaar.
(Didn't visit this 'til the next day.)

In the hotel, waiting for Hellen to get ready for dinner.
Yup, I'm still messy.

Out to dinner w/ live Turkish music.

Our chef, who we met the previous day, may have had a little crush on us...

Laughing at our wooing by vegetables.

Out in Taksim-- the hot nightspot of Istanbul.

This was one of the amazing parts of Istanbul-- you spend all day touring ancient historical sites, only to return to a buzzing, cosmopolitan, modern urban center. There were bars and clubs stacked on top of each other down every alleyway, with Turkish pop music pumping uncomfortably loud. This was the first time I've been out in a foreign country and not heard American hip hop.

Out in Taksim.

Still in Taksim.

Church in Taksim.

Deserted alley.

Galata Tower at night.