Day 13: Istanbul

 Day 13: Istanbul (spelled correctly), Sunday April 13, 2025

Weather: Clear and cold

Activities: A change of schedule due to Sunday crowds and a protest, lunch at Pudding Shop, Topkapi Sultanate Palace, spice market, ferry to dinner on the Bosporus

Department of conspiracy theories: Pics loaded with only minor issues and then moved from the computer to blogger in reverse order. THB reloaded, everything  good now. MM's suitcase appears in the middle of the night and the safety tag added on its journey from Detroit has to be burned off. MM appears at breakfast in smoky new outfit.

Annals of Protests: It is Sunday and our worries about protests against Erdogan are for naught. Instead there is a huge pro-Palestinian protest scheduled. The crowds are immense, no shouting, just a few flags and signs, many children and women. The combination of normal Sunday traffic in the old city and protesters creates congestion everywhere, even at the ferry terminal well after the protesters disbanded.

Tip from AM, this was originally a hippie hangout. Food was a bit different than the usual kebab fare, and the chicken leg THB had was excellent. THB and MM: 

Asian tour

total $12pp

THB chocolate ice cream (made with goat's milk) really good, others have pistachio; the scooper puts on quite a show, $7.50 each

small bath, just sinks

fake? genuine fake? real? who knows...

sultan's bath: overflowing water, gold everywhere, beautiful tiling

Honeymooners? We are in same rooms several times, he appears to be his 30s and she's in her (maybe) late teens

fashionistas in the palace 

another fashion shoot

Europe to left and Asia to the right (the bridge is behind the pillar)

THB is convinced this dagger is a genuine fake, still pretty impressive

the most prized/premium spot in the palace, even the Sultan had to wait his turn

smoking is everywhere...just not in the men's restroom (note sign is not in English, the Turks national sport is smoking

snippet of protesters 

THB can't read this Snellen chart either

THB could spot these genuine fake's even if he can't read the eye chart 

"Blue" Mosque visit put back a day

ed. note: no pic of spice market, so crowded TH doesn't go there anymore

THB's back almost gave out waiting for the next ferry 

View from the ferry ride on the Bosporus 

 

the van is taking us to dinner, about 10 minutes from the drop off and then taking us all the way back to the Levni

Dinner is included in the tour tonight, a local spot (no tourists) with very good Ottoman cuisine. THB has an ouzo cocktail heavy on the licorice flavor; 4 others have white wine, one has water

starters all excellent and same-same but different from standard fare

lightly fried, exquisite calamari

Asia

sea bass with arugula 

hard to tell, that's an orange full moon rising

fruit for dessert 

absolutely genuine fake Toto toilet