Highlights from a long weekend in Istanbul....
The Basilica Cistern....super cool, super big, and a little creepy. Kids loved it.
The Blue Mosque - beautiful inside and out. Spending a weekend in a Muslim country, hearing the calls to prayer, and observing the rituals involved in entering the mosque all provided good opportunities to talk to the kids about why our faith is different. I did have a revelation that if I heard the call to prayer 5 times a day, my prayer life would probably be richer.
Hagia Sophia - a church then a mosque now a museum.
Cats...everywhere. Cat-spotting kept the kids quite occupied and entertained. One day they counted 65 cats! They were seriously everywhere. We ate in several outdoor cafes, and the cats would scamper around our feet as we ate waiting for crumbs.
Markets - we loved walking around the markets. What a visual feast!
This was the only one I didn't love. So crowded at one point that we couldn't move an inch. People coming from every direction. No way out. I don't deal well with no way out. :) Add to that trying keep up with kids and pushing a stroller....not fun.
Trips to markets result in souvenirs - a highlight for these 2.
Logan wasn't left out, and got a hat on this trip.
Topkapi Palace - another beautiful site, with some cool artifacts and jewels. Also the site of 2 rude American old ladies who thought I couldn't hear them when they said that children shouldn't be allowed into museums. My kids were acting great, so I mustered up my courage a few minutes later and walked up to them with a smile and told them I was really sorry if we disturbed them, and I hoped they enjoyed the rest of their day. The look on their face was priceless.
Beautiful views of the Bosphorus Bridge connecting Europe and Asia.
It is amazing that just a 2 hour flight away lies such a different culture and different world. Thankful for the opportunity to experience it!
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