I am in Istanbul in the old city Sultanhamet.
The weather is almost perfect, today was just a little chilly but a light jacket and scarf are enough to keep the chill away.
It isn't a terribly exciting place to be, but there are tons of touristy sights and it is very quaint. The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are minuets away from the hotel where we are staying.
Haha,the hotel is nothing like what I've grown accustomed to in the past few months of being spoiled in Abu Dhabi but it is a place to sleep and they provide a modest breakfast. God bless them because they are trying. They are super nice and try very hard to do what they can to make you feel comfortable.
Today we spent the better part of the day at the Grand Bazaar. It is enormous with approximately 4000 little shops. I loved all the beautiful jewelry and hand made Turkish pottery and lamps. I wanted to buy it all.
It is quite the adventure in shopping with sales people coming at you from every direction offering you goods and trying to get you into their shops; the hours can slip away quickly without you even realizing. You definitely need a clear schedule to explore the place.
Yesterday I had a tour of the city from a nice man I had met earlier in the day. While my travel buddy was sleeping I went exploring by myself. I ran into the man and he offered to show me around. Being the awfully trusting person I am, of course I went with him. Turned out to be a lot of fun. He told all about the history of the city and showed me all the historical artifacts. He was charming and funny and I had a good time.
Don't know what the rest of the afternoon entails but I'm sure it will be interesting.
The picture is of the Sultanhamet Mosque of as they call it the Blue Mosque. It is breathtaking at nights.
Ciao!
