Tuesday, September 23 –

Final full day in Istanbul, and it was another busy one!

It was not a running day, but I brought my resistance bands and did a bodyweight workout in front of the hotel as the sun rose. The space was rudimentary, and the early morning delivery people gave me a few odd looks, but I got in a good workout.

Had to hustle to shower and eat breakfast because our sightseeing schedule started early. First stop, the Blue Mosque. In this mosque, we still had to cover our heads and remove our shoes, but we were allowed into the main floor. Not quite as large as Hagia Sophia, it is called blue because of the beautiful blue tiles adorning the walls. The public is no longer allowed up on the balcony to see it close up because in the past, tiles disappeared and showed up in auction houses. Seriously, who does that, particularly in a house of worship???

Then we walked to the Grand Bazaar, which was slightly less chaotic than yesterday, but still quite busy. Also, the concept of smoke free is definitely foreign. Especially interesting given the low ceilings and lack of windows. Regardless, we did learn that the Grand Bazaar has its roots in the fact that Constantinople (Istanbul) was at the end of the Silk Road. TIL

At noon, it was off on the subway to Istikial Street in the New District, a pedestrian walkway lined by shops, galleries, and restaurants. Apparently, it is the most popular street in Turkiye. I don’t know who makes these proclamations or how they are assessed, but it certainly was quite busy midday on a Tuesday.

Taylan gave us some suggestions for lunch spots, and we chose an alley where the places specialize in mezze (small plates). Four other tourmates made the same choice, and we had a delightful lunch, eating fun bites and getting to know one other better.

On our way back to our meeting spot, we all decided that ice cream would make a perfect dessert. We went to a spot Taylan had recommended–the ice cream is made from goat’s milk. It made the texture a bit different, but the flavor was just fine. As we joined the larger group, it was clear that we were not alone in making that choice.

We then took the funicular down the hill (we are getting to try out ALL the transit options) and walked across the Galata Bridge past last night’s dinner locale.

Final stop with the group was the Spice Market, a really interesting place filled with the smells of different teas and spices (and proper ventilation). We got a short lecture on the merits of various spices before deciding if we wanted to bring any home. I got a couple of things–the prices were outstanding–before we headed back to the hotel for a little down time on the rooftop terrace.

A few hours later, we decided it was time for a light dinner. Both our food tour guide and Taylan had recommended a little street not too far from the hotel. Dozens of little places, all hoping to serve us. We shared a small mezze platter with bread (kind of getting to love this mezze idea). Just the right amount for the two of us.

We then decided we needed one more stroll along the waterfront. We wandered, traversed the Galata Bridge, and returned, feeling pretty good that we had learned our way around a bit. Of course, tomorrow we move on

Another fine day in a fascinating city.

25,581 steps

11.8 miles

PS I have been really good and refrained from complaining about how slowly people walk in this city. I mean really, it’s a city, not a barnyard, what is the deal? Clearly, my adherence to this positive behavior might be waning a tad…