Wed. in Turkey

Our tour guide/driver arrived promptly at 9 and we picked up the other couple in old town and had a lovely day. Weather perfect. Visited the spice market first, which is mainly what is sold there and used by the locals. Resisted all temptations, except to sample a Turkish Delight, a bit too sweet for our tastes. The driver dropped us off at the ferry landing, and we cruised for an hour up to the third stop just to see the Bosporas and all the real estate around it...$$$$$$$. Ship was quite old, and we don’t even want to talk about the ‘head’ on it...slit in floor! Driver met us at the appointed stop and then we went over to the Asian side of Istanbul...who knew one side is European and the other is Asian??? Looks pretty much the same. Drove the short distance to the top of the highest point to view down below...very nice...and watched the ladies ‘make pastry.’ Well, they were making flour tortillas, in my opinion, and then throwing them over a big mushroom thingie that cooked them a bit, brushed with olive oil, and then various items could be inserted, kinda like an omelet. We tried a spinach one and a cheese one. Good, but not something you’d want every day...and we wouldn’t have called them a pastry. But that reminds me, our b’fast buffet here at the hotel is outstanding!!! Lots of fresh fruit, various cheeses ‘n breads, and even a wooden box with a dripping honeycomb mounted on it. Pretty neat.
OK...back to the minibus and on to the Sultan’s Palace, name of which we didn’t recognize. Lots of flashy stuff, even a 4 ½ TON chandelier in a main salon. All the rest of them were smaller:-) Lots of uneven walking throughout the palace. Carpet runners were placed over the parquet floors to preserve them, but each section of the palace was sorta built by this carpenter crew and that one built by another, so none of the sections inside really lined up. There were always steps or ramps to get from one room to the other...kinda annoying and we really had to ‘mind our step.’
Our guide called the ‘lost and found’ for us...our two suitcases have apparently arrived and are on their way up!...no word on the Priven’s suitcase:-( Maybe tomorrow’s flight will have it. The Privens just left to walk over to the small bazaar that is nearby to make some purchases while D and I rest knees. Mike is fearful his suitcase won’t appear!
We have a big day planned back with our guide and minus the couple we had with us today (they are trying out the Turkish baths and getting massages). We have been warned we’ll be walking quite a bit...going to the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, St. Sophia, and I’m not sure where else. Stay tuned...Ciao!

Gladen Horn harbor

Istanbul Palace

St. Sophia