ISTANBUL MONDAY

ISTANBUL

Monday Sept 26

The weekend we stayed close to home and roamed the hood. The previous pictures covered those days. In the park, if I asked someone if I could take their picture they usually asked us to join them for food. I still have trouble believing how nice they are.

Monday we hit the ground running. By 9 AM we were walking down Pasalimini street from Kuzguncuk to Uskudor to catch the ferry to Eminonu or old Istanbul. Ferries are running everywhere here.  They cost $1.  We waited for the ferry to unload and we went with the crowd to get on board the Sehit Abem Yavuz.

 begin the dance of the boats

tea to calm the nerves

these new friends were greatly disappointed I did not do facebook

 a freelance tourist nightmare

 a bagel for breakfast

and then into the lions den

Istanbul was known as Constantinople until not many years ago.  It was the center of the known universe for many, many years.  It was also the crossroads of the world and looking at the shipping and people that come by, it still is somewhat the crossroads today.One part of the city is in Europe and one part in Asia. The history is facinating. It is to much to cover in a blog.  So, we will just try to hit some high points.

We climbed the steep street headed to the Topkapi Palace, the big high point..  It is very famous and very large and very old.  We bought our $10 tickets and passed through security, which by the way, was not even for show.

Then we hit the mass's.  I will let the pictures do the talking.

Vicki waiting for her tour guide...me

The only people who set when order are the Germans

Tour guide flags where everywhere

Ouch!!

at least no babies now

Taking pictures looking up, of other people and each other was a big item.

We escaped and headed to less crowed areas.  Only a few blocks from the tourist center and they were gone but replaced with locals in their major shopping area. I made a friend. We had a quiet lunch of the beaten track and then caught the ferry home.

baklava

 were is that ferry ticket