Well today Nathan and I toured the city and saw some amazing sights...Mosques built in the 6th century...sixth, not sixteenth! We walked through an underground cistern larger than a football field, ALSO BUILT IN THE 6TH CENTURY! Inside were dozens of marble and concrete pillars and two medusas.
We walked through the shopping district on the Asian side of Istanbul and ate some yummy donair type things. I even found a Starbucks where my grande latte was welcomed to fight off the bitter cold.
This afternoon = finally = the sun came out, and the sky turned blue. As I sit here, I am looking out over the Bosphorus sea, where dozens of container ships line up to head through the straights to the black sea.
Istanbul surprised me a bit. I expected more Asian influence - but the Europeanness of it is prominent. It is a modern city with ancient history and 22 kilometers of ancient city wall still standing.
Yesterday we ate at a small nondescript place called Cafe Hyat. We were the only customers and the owner was delightful. He called me sister and shared his Raki, often called lions milk because it turns white when you add water. A friend of his who is a musician came in and played his 7 stringed instrument and sang for us. It was a lovely private concert and we experienced a bit of the old world hospitality that seems to be lost in the tourism boom. More often than not vendors were rude and pushing their carpets and their menus on you, much like the beach vendors in Mexico...but brother Hyat redeemed the city with his smile, his kiss and his amazing lamb chops.
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