Yes, It's been nearly five months since my trip and I'm just now getting to the last post. Honestly, there are multiple excuses....I'm busy, I'm a resident, I have a kitchen renovation under foot, but the honest truth is...This post is different. It comes after a change. Distance has won, and that's that.
Istanbul is an amazing city full of wonderful sites, sounds and people. I am sure that some day I will go back and experience more of them, but for this trip it was a time to wind down and spend a couple of days with friends. A little smattering of being touristy never hurt anyone though.
We spent a lovey first night just relaxing and eating dinner. (This was the night before the discovery of mashed potato pizza...can't recall the Turkish name, but trust me, I will be making this again!)
The next morning started with a bus ride and a ferry across the Marmara Sea for some touristing... A bustling waterway and amazing public transit system. Speaking of public transit this is the
Haydarpaşa Terminal from the ferry.
Haydarpaşa Terminal from the ferry.
Not every day you find a local that is both local to the vacation spot and your state, but timing worked perfectly that she was around!
Everything here seems to be old, detailed and beautiful. ( Haydarpaşa Terminal )
Another view of Istanbul from the ferry, including Galata Tower. I could have taken a million photos, but somehow after this whole trip managed to make it onto the ferry with a nearly full memory card.
Off the ferry and on to shopping, a little time in the Spice Bazaar. Another place you could spend all day in. Beautiful sites, sounds and color! lots of colors...and lots and lots and lots of people in not a lot of space. If you are the least bit claustrophobic or agoraphobic I recommend against it.
I hope you aren't though, because I've never seen anything like it.
On to the Beautiful Blue Mosque. Avery deep place with overwhelming tradition. You can feel the history and religion. Also the quietest "tourist" stop I've ever experienced.
The last photo of the two of us ever taken.
A touristy shot with a beautiful Turkish girl.
Lots of yummy smelling food carts.
If you visit make sure you check the opened days for each spot. Much to my chagrin Ayasofya was closed the day we visited. Still beautiful from the outside though.
Lots of bustling full streets and packed public transit. The safety precautions, as I'm sure this photo demonstrates are far and few between. None of the "Don't lick paint or run with scissors" signs we have here in the states.
Traffic, traffic and more traffic.
Last photo, complicated detailed and historic. Too many things to explain and things that will go untold. In the end, it's an end.
After these photos- I got on a plane after giving a kiss goodbye, not knowing it would be the last.
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