Istanbul

A few weeks ago, Wade had to be in Istanbul for a week for a training. Following his week in Istanbul, he’d be in Medina for 4 days, after that Paris for a week. The kids and I were looking at three weeks without dad and it had been about a month since we’d escaped the Kingdom. My emotional thermostat was reaching fever pitch. 7 days before he was due to depart he asked if I wanted to go. I said yes.

 

As it turned out, we wouldn’t see much of him. Exhibit A. At the airport we drink chocolate milk and eat cookies while we wait for our flight. Dad takes an hour conference call. C’est la vie. We would have a great time anyway and make the most of the time we did get with dad.

We arrived in Istanbul late at night. Since arriving in the Kingdom, I am finding that the first thing I want to do once I get out, is to run. So, the next morning the Turkish pavement meet my feet. I have always felt grateful  that my body was able to carry me over long distances, that I am able to push it further and farther with proper training, for the emotional release it is for me. But, since doing it on the daily has become far more difficult, if not impossible, I find I am grateful, if not overjoyed, just for the opportunity to put one foot in front of the other in the fresh air. I also thought while running that morning, that I would like to run the world. By foot. Not power.

After returning from my run, I freshened up, the kids and I sent dad to meetings and then took to Istanbul. We took one of those cheesy bus tours. I thought it would be a good way to see the highlights and determine where we wanted to be sure to go back too. And the kids had a great time sitting a top the bus waving to everyone below.

We spent the evening at Galata Tower. The tower has been re-purposed several times throughout the centuries, from a watch tower, to keeping  a look out for fires. Now it just serves as a destination for visitors to garner the best views of the city. She delivers.

Is there anything more charming that a beautiful fruit stand street side?

Scenes from the Blue Mosque. The architecture and mosaics took my breath away.

While waiting outside for prayer to be over so we could enter, we met a sweet old Turkish gentleman who was there visiting the mosque with his grand daughter. We got to talking and I explained that we were American, but were currently living in Saudi Arabia. He then told me he had worked for years in Mecca and Medina as an Imam. (an Imam is the religious leader that leads prayer 5 times a day in Mosque) He went on to say that every year during Ramadan he comes to the Blue Mosque and recites the Koran from memory. Incredible. He even sang a few verse’s for me. I consider myself to be fairly devoted to my faith, but then I hear stories like this man, or the see sweet Russians in Ukraine attending the temple and I realize I have light years to go.

We spent a lot of time in Sultanahmet Center eating bread, walking about, enjoying the sunshine and conversing with all the stray cats. Well not me, I have zero affection for the animals, but my children were clearly enthralled. I probably said, “Don’t touch!” 485 times.

A boy in a bizarre…

Basillica Cisterns.

The cistern at one time provided a water filtration system for the Great Palace of Constantinople and continued to provide water to the Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and after. I am unsure where the Medusa heads originated from, what I do know is that Tessa was taken with the lady who had snakes in her hair and turned people to stone with just a glance. Bode was taken with the fishy’s. And I the architecture. I am consistently taken with the architecture.

And what’s a proper getaway without laying nakie in bed and taking a dip in the hotel pool. Where swim caps are compulsory.

We went rug shopping.

And linen shopping. I deem both to also be compulsory while in Istanbul.

Bode still makes friends everywhere he goes. This kids charm is going to give me an ulcer in about 12 years.

Her blond hair and blue eyes might too.

One of the nights Wade was free we checked out the Spice Market. I love walking through open markets like this. The spices, Turkish delight and olives were beautiful and I wanted buy saffron and chili powder by the bucket full. The goat head however, I left for the crazy people

Tessa got a hold of the camera again this trip one afternoon in the cab. I am hoping that she gets a hold of the camera every trip. She consistently delivers my favorite vacation photo’s.

We took a ferry to Prince’s Island mid-week. It was a full day and perhaps a little ambitious to take on by myself with two small children. We were tired by the time we returned to the city, but had a great time riding a carriage, and soaking in all the green trees and blue sea. I think in the spring time the island would even more spectacular as I am sure the flowers would be bounteous.

Bode thought the horse’s were stinky for about 15 minutes.

This cute little man was sitting on the pier with a large bag of bird feed. He kept refilling the kids little bowl and then refused to let me pay. Bode was especially taken with all the feathered friends.

We spent our last day at Topkapi Palace. Home of the Ottoman Empire.

You take your children to the home of the Ottoman Empire, show them their crown jewels and historical artifacts and they walk outside, hop on a fire hydrant and say giddy-up. Maybe sometime the culture will pay off…

Hagia Sophia.

We wish Wade would have had more time to explore with us, but I’m sure no more than he does. Again, Istanbul wasn’t on our top 5, but again again, how lucky I feel to have seen it. And while I might have lingered longer in certain spots, or spent less time in others without two crazies by myself, I find that those two littles make any magical place all the more magical.