Last Day and Final Impressions

We returned to Istanbul for 36 hours before flying home.  We spent the day wandering the streets and getting a final look at the city we had grown to love.  Reconnected with folks we met during the first leg of our journey -- Zeki, Boras, Ibrahim, among others -- and met new folks along to way.  The city was preparing for Ramadan even though everyone we spoke with said they weren't observing it.  Besides, "no one cares about Ramadan" according to scores of people we talked with about what we thought was a really special Muslim holiday.

Women making flat bread in a restaurant window in Sultanamet neighborhood.

Blending old with new

Spent the better part of the evening near Taksim Square and stumbled upon the Turkish Communist Party headquarters.  No decent picture but you get the idea.

In front of the Blue Mosque in our Portland Trailblazer shirts

Spent several hours in the Istanbul Modern art museum.  Unlike other modern museums, there is not iconic piece of art housed here.  Some interesting exhibits; some you just wonder how someone came up with this idea and called it "art."  Very cool sculptures made of nails, one of which I did photograph on the sly.

Seen from the Istanbul Modern cafe terrace

Regina hanging with the local kids

She's got a silver shop in the Grand Bazaar!

Magnificent windows and tilework in Topkapi Palace

European side of Istanbul at night from across the Bosporus

We are so sorry for exporting McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Krispy Kreme...

Cuneiform murder trial and ruling from the Bronze Age

Ships on the Bosporus awaiting their turn at the ports

Pan flute quartet in Taksim Square...they are everywhere!

Cappadocia

Above:  demonic Hello Kitty jeans in the market...every market we visited.

Below:  traditional wood house in Instanbul

 

One of the many churches devoted to the Virgin Mary.  During the 1st - 4th centuries, it was believed that Mary would protect the city from harm so they built several churches outside the city walls.
  They all depicted the life of Mary, the second book of the bible prior to the King James version.

Cappadocia

Above:  market day in Central Turkey

Below:  Aegean Sea in late afternoon

Original tile sidewalk in Efes

Don't pollute.  Two overheard comments:

"All the trash in the Bosporus comes from Russia"

"Turkey is a slice of heaven with a lot of trash."