Packs and Boots: Photo Tour: Istanbul

After our glorious two months in South America, we hopped on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. The flight was blissful. (How often do you hear that?) We ate several hot meals, were served wine and coffee at appropriate times, and we used the provided kit to freshen up before and after bed. They even gave us slippers. Of course, we couldn't sleep-- we were too excited by the prospect of free television shows and movies, all in English. So, instead of resting up for our European adventure, or learning phrases in Turkish, or planning out a rough itinerary, we watched hours of American movies and television shows. Hey, sometimes you need a little taste of home.

We stayed in the Beyoğlu neighborhood in Istanbul, right next to the Galata Tower. We highly recommend this neighborhood to people who are planning a trip to Istanbul. It's a neat neighborhood that feels fairly "real," and it's easy to get to some of the main tourist attractions without being overwhelmed by crowds.

View of our neighborhood from the Bosphorous

Close up of our neighborhood. You can see the Galata Tower, which was
built in the 1300s. There are cool shops and restaurants right around it.

The Galata Tower up close.

Fishing over the bridge.

We enjoyed the fruits of their labor: fresh, fried sardines for dinner. Delish.

(Note: I wasn't that excited, just trying to keep my eyes open as the sun was shining in them!)

Standing on the bridge. You can see our neighborhood in the distance.

The Hagia Sofia

Inside the Hagia Sophia

A mural found beneath the plaster of the Hagia Sophia. The church was converted to a mosque in the 1400s,
and was then changed to a museum in the early 1900s. They're still discovering secrets.

The audio guide said something about turning your hand in a circle,
using your thumb as a pivot, for luck.

Listening to an audio tour of the Hagia Sofia.

Ceiling of the Hagia Sofia.

Gazing at a mural, or zoning out? You decide.

Inside the Grand Bazaar, one of the world's oldest markets. It was kind of stressful, but really cool.
We splurged on a Turkish coffee maker.

A new friend taught us how to make the perfect Turkish coffee with our
new coffee maker.

Shop at the Grand Bazaar. I really wanted to buy one of these but they seemed
too heavy to cart around in a backpack.

One day, we decided to get away from the crowds and cross the Bosphorus where we technically entered Asia. It was a great little neighborhood filled with interesting shops and restaurants, with beautiful mosques all around. We were pretty much the only non-locals around, and perhaps because of it, all of the locals when out of their way to talk to us, point us in interesting directions, and help us find our ferry.