istanbul, turkey – days two & three

While I could fill you in on exactly what we did at each hour on each day (because I did such a good job documenting) I will save you the time.  Here are a few highlights:

Breakfasts, of course.  I’ve been recreating in my own kitchen, but it’s not the same.

The Grand Bazaar was crowded and overwhelming, and everywhere you turn a salesman wants to “ask you a question” or “show you something very quickly”.  An experience, but I preferred the much smaller Arasta Bazaar just behind the Blue Mosque.

Grand Bazaar – spices and turkish delight for days.

We took the light rail out to the Byzantine City Walls of Constantinople, where there wasn’t much to look at.  Joe was obsessed with walking along it, under it, over it and near it.  Me on the other hand, I just wanted to get off of it.  Thank you, G, for instilling in me a deep, deep fear of heights.

Walking on the City Wall

The Hagia Sofia & Mosaic Museum were both incredible and very complimentary of each other.  I strongly recommend purchasing the three-day museum pass for the savings in money and time, and a little nudge to see a bit more.  The Hagia Sofia is a basilica turned mosque; most of the mosaics had been covered by medallions with words of the Quran.  The building is crazy big and crazy old, and it’s a trip to see the arches bending under the pressure of it all.  Scaffolding covers a good portion of the inside and has for some 20 years because they keep running out of money for restoration.  The medallions adorning the walls and ceilings are beautiful… but of course my favorite part was the mosaic fresco on the ceiling when you enter.  Did they miss this one when they were covering all the faces?

Hagia Sofia (yes, I know, I need a new camera)

Joe the tourist in front of the Hagia Sofia

The Mosaic Museum is small and contains all mosaics pulled from Palace grounds.  It is literally a collection of the sidewalks royalty walked on thousands of years ago.  Very fancy.

Mosaic Museum – look closely and you can see thousands of tiny tiles.

We did eventually make it to a typical Turkish cafeteria a la Rick Steves.  Had no idea how to order, so we definitely wound up with three entrees, but it was delicious and an experience I wouldn’t want to miss.

Chef at a typical Turkish Cafeteria

Turkish Delight in the cafeteria

As I put these posts together I realize just how much we explored and experienced the city.  Between Joe’s hunger for history and my need to stop at every Turkish towel store in town, I am so happy to say that we saw quite a bit.  It’s taking awhile to pull it all together, but I’ll work on posting the rest of the trip in the next few weeks.  It’s telling that we are still in Istanbul, which were just the first four days of a two week adventure.  Stay tuned!

 

 

 

Fun happens, too

Brooklyn in the summer is HOT. Meaning full of free things to do outside, and that I am sweating profusely while sitting here. Literally, sweat is pooling in my onesie.

One of my favorite free to-dos is the Thursday night movie at Brooklyn bridge park. Oh my god. Such good people watching. Sunset. City skyline. Friends. Beers in paper bags (or pinky sized Dixie cups as the case may have been).

Last week we saw “to kill a mockingbird” which jogged my 7th grade nostalgia. The highlight, a certain someone, who shall remain nameless (eh hem, her name rhymes with datelin) leans over to me and whispers: “gem is kind of hot”. That’s right folks. Atticus finche’s 10 year old is not off limits to single girls in the big city. She clarified that she could just tell he was going to be hot. We will forgive her since we have all evaluated the hotness of relatively inappropriate people (it would be fun to compile that lost).

But, to my real point. Peep the scene:

Monday Morning Magic

Zoe is visiting and so there has been a lot of dancing around these parts. Thursday night, we found ourselves at Bembe, where brotha Charlie B Wilder was spinning. Amidst a long run of latin beats, came this Ivory Coast hit. Immediate dance party – NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE.

To that point, if you need some new tunes, and are interested in the global varity, check Charlie out at Mixtaperiot.

Kermie, where are you?

After the muppet movie came out, I had a momentary obsession with Jason Seigel. This is the closest thing to a celebrity crush I have had since Gavin Rossdale. Jason is seemingly hilarious and hella tall. Two of my top priorities. Hearing he lived in NYC, and had infamously bad luck dating, I decided I was going to find him. And make him my muppet.

Needless to say, that never happened. But the muppet name stuck. Around these parts, some of us single girls, are looking for an everyday muppet. No celebridom necessary- although totally acceptable. We want to find a kermie.

So, I’m off to an okcupid date. After a long hiatus, sure my pure romance would never actually happen online, I’m giving it another go. I’ll let you know if he’s muppety.