Istanbul

We flew into Istanbul and stayed at a small hotel in the Sultanahmet area (touristy area). This view shows the Bosporus Straight splitting Istanbul into 2 continents - the western side is in Europe and the eastern is in Asia.

Tired from many moons of traveling.

Having dinner on the roof of Doy Doy restaurant. Our hotel is directly across the street/alley (the white building in the top left corner) and the Blue Mosque is in the background.

This large hollow flatbread came with our meal. Toasted sesame seeds on top.

The Blue Mosque.

Inside the Blue Mosque. It's open for shoeless visitors, except on Friday afternoons when they have their big weekly prayer time.

Turkey's Harley Davidson shop.

Kids dancing on a stage at a park.

Having dinner on a little private balcony overlooking a main street. This is the only hummus I had on the trip. I didn't see it anywhere else, which surprised me.

This is the outside of the restaurant. See the little balconies. It was closed when I took this picture.

The rooftop of our hotel. We ate here for breakfast each morning. The Marmara Sea is in the distance.

Turkish kids on a field trip.

Mailing postcards home.

At the train station trying to figure out how to buy tickets to Ankara.

We visited with an American homeschool group. They meet at this park each week.

Playing kickball in the tall grass.

We helped out at an office that sends out Turkish Bibles and literature to those who ask for it.

I'm putting together packets of New Testaments and booklets.

Any guesses? This is a church.

Here's the inside.

An Istanbul alley

Notice the 2 covered women on the far left, and the western-dressed folks on the right.

This is a family we visited and stayed with. We're about to buy dessert...

Yum

A palace

Having breakfast at a restaurant next to the Bosporus.

A suspension bridge crossing the Bosporus.

I liked the feel of Istanbul. It was so colorful and had great weather.

Beautiful produce at the weekly bazaar.

Need anything?

The vendor has a cig hanging from his mouth as he scoops and weighs rice.

A playground.

Our bus to Ankara, Turkey's capital. It took about 6 hours and was a comfortable ride. We stopped at a rest stop and were reminded that you have to pay to use public bathrooms in Turkey.

Coming next will be a post about our time in Ankara...