turkey trip

okay, so we've been back a week from our travels to the city and country that bridges europe and asia. plenty of time to get over jet lag and begin processing and reflecting, right? well, maybe...anyway, over the next few days, our plan is to post photographs, stories, and memories from the trip. today, we'll get started with a basic overview.

most of our time was spent in Instanbul--a modern, cosmopolitan city of some 15 million people, that sweeps across europe and asia where the Sea of Marmara flows through the Bosphorus Straight into the Black Sea (or "African American" Sea, as Ben liked to say). Our days were a mix of historic sites and tourist spectacles along with several day cruises to villages and islands in the area. Some days we were on our own, with only our guidebook and pocket translators to guide us; others, we spent with students and former students from Turkey. Our home base was the apartment of a relative of one of our students in a neighborhood call "Bahcelievler" that was very near the airport but quite a ways from the usual tourist destinations and attractions. We relied upon taxis, trams and other public transport to get around, bought food at the markets, and ate at a wide variety of Turkish restaurants. We also spent one weekend in Bursa, one of the first capitals of the Ottoman Empire and the terminus of Marco Polo's Silk Road.

day 1 (6/13): walking tour of Taksim and Karakoy, on the east side of the Golden Horn, with hosts Murat and Nina (a historian of the Ottoman empire who teaches a course on Istanbul history). Sights included: Galata Tower, several unique and historic mosques, and the financial district. Included a traditional Turkish lunch, baklava, and backgammon and tea at an outdoor cafe.

day 2 (6/14): midday tour of Topkapi Palace (!) and then afternoon of browsing and shopping at the Grand Bazaar. Moses' staff, Abraham's sauce pot and Mohammad's beard; kebap dinner; Ben's Shaq swatch; waiter who wanted emma to dance.

day 3 (6/15): Bosphorous Day Cruise and then extravagent, multicourse fish dinner in Sayrier with Murat and Nina. Ben's ziplock bag.

day 4 (6/16): the big ones and the old ones: the Hagia Sophia; Hippodome; Blue Mosque; Roman Cistern. trying to pronounce "tramway".

day 5 (6/17) Beach, Bikes, and Fish: Day Cruise to the Prince's Islands. bike accidents (not ours), iranian tourists swimming in their skivvies, and a cat named victor.

day 6 (6/18): a day with our student, Sinan: Turkish breakfast, summer palace, and the World Cup. Doug asking for "change."

days 7 and 8 (6/19-20): trip to Bursa, hosted by Aysegul and her friend: iskender kebap, silk shops, chestnuts, monuments and mosques, whirling dervishes, ice cream with a knife, and ice skating back in istanbul

6/21: 3:00 am ride to airport with 14 hour trip back home, through Amsterdam