ISTANBUL
Our tour started at 3 pm in the hotel Azade's breakfast room, which is on the top floor and has great views of the Bosphorus Strait. Our guide, Taylan Tasbasi introduced himself and gave an overview of the tour. Taylan proved to be a skilled mother hen, taking excellent care of his flock and even acting as the disciplinarian when needed. (Ask me about that sometime). His degrees in archaeology and art history made him a perfect guide. That first afternoon we went on a guided neighborhood walk that took us to Hagia Sophia. I don't have the words to describe what it feels like to stand in such a beautiful building that is weaved into the fabric of history and time . I usually travel on my own, but standing under that dome and seeing the look on my son's face brought me a whole new sense of joy. The tour had just begun with a bang! That night the group bonded over dinner on an outside terrace.
After a good night's rest, we were on the road again: Egyptian Spice Market, cruise on the Bosphorus, lunch on Istiklal street and a visit to Süleymaniye Mosque.
TRIP TIP
It is tempting to try to cram as much as you can into your trip. Be sure to take care of yourself along the way so that you are less likely to get sick or burn out before it is time to go home. After two full days of touring and eating new foods, Luke and I purchased a light meal from a neighborhood convenience store and turned in early.
"Istanbul was Constantinople". This morning we load our backpacks on to the bus and walk to Topkapi Palace. We are nearly the first people to gain entry (Thanks Rick). It is fascinating to walk the grounds and imagine being a woman and her son in 1500. The museum is extensive and we use the map in the Rick Steves guidebook to find our way around. After we enjoy the palace, we are in for a special treat. Lale Surmen Aran is there to meet and talk with us. She is author of Rick's Istanbul guidebook and owner of SRM, the tour company in Turkey that collaborates with Rick. She tells us that "no question is out of bounds to ask a guide." I treasure that time with Lale because I began to understand that the image of Turkey portrayed in the American media hasn't much to do with the real Turkey. I learned that Turkish culture and American culture have way more in common than they are different. Turks want life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They want the right to practice their chosen religion at home and the right to a secular society. They want the ability to mold their society through free expression and by choosing their leaders by election. The more she spoke, the more I settled in and felt at home in a foreign land.
