world travelling part uno

istanbul. amazing. unlike anything i've ever experienced.

istanbul is full of buildings that look like this:



have you ever seen anything like it?


in istanbul...

there were markets to be wandered



baklava and turkish delight to be enjoyed



kebabs to be relished



mosques to be marveled




spices to be smelled



cisterns to be explored



and a head over heels couple all ready to enjoy.



and it never hurts to have your breakfast overlooking the sea.


it was a trip unlike one we've ever had. trips in europe usually mean cathedrals and museums, pristine roads and familiar food. this one was full of uneven cobblestone roads, striking mosques on every corner, an endless supply of kebabs and baklava, an incredible mixture of asian and european (where else can you easily cross into europe, then asia, then back again to europe?).

memorable moments:
* the blue mosque's call to prayer at dawn every morning (not so appreciated at the time)
* the balcony view of the sea - on days where the bees weren't out in full force
* the views of the mosques from our bosphorus boat tour
* the best kebabs we've ever tasted
* the worst corn on the cob we've ever tasted
* the fortune telling rabbit and rooster
* neil's ever lengthening beard (my attempts to convince him to try a turkish shave were not well received)
* yes, memorable but also a bit scary: getting home from a long day of walking only to find out a bomb had gone off in a nearby square. it's when you realise you are always going to have to take the good with the bad
* our "third time's the charm" kind of luck with going to see Topkapi Palace
* how vendors calling us into their shops never once got on our nerves because each one was HILARIOUS
* going through the most magnificent european palace we've ever seen. who would have thought a palace on the asian side of turkey would have Versailles beat?

and the best way to end a weekend away in turkey?

head to dubai, of course!