LET'S TALK TURKEY

We have arrived! We are staying in the heart of Old City Istanbul, and if I had to describe it in one word, it would be....Utterly, incredibly, beautifully, magical. The drive from the airport was through heavy traffic, and we passed what looked very similar to the West End/English Bay area of Vancouver, condos on one side, the water and beaches on the other side. After about 30 minutes of city driving, we made a left turn, immediately left the metropolis, and within a block, were on narrow cobblestone streets, winding up and thru gorgeous little neighborhoods packed with people walking, dining at sidewalk cafés, hauling goods in primitive wooden carts. We checked into our hotel, at about 8pm local time, after being up for 26 hours, took a stroll around the block just to get our bearings. It was early evening, and it was so beautiful, with the night lights, and an even mix of travelers and locals. We found a great little restaurant on the street, and enjoyed our first Turkish beer, "Efes" along with an amazing appetizer, little cigarette sized pastry filled with cheese and served with incredibly garlicky tzatziki. We chatted with one of the waiters who was so friendly, and set the tone for the evening, he was just so eager to chat and share his pride in his city. He told us how to walk to the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace, Spice Market and Grand Bazaar, which are all nearby. We just sat and watched the street life, with smiles on our faces, just knowing this is going to be one amazing adventure......stay tuned.