All Aboard

Today we started off with a lazy day and our main plan was to ship a box home so we didn't have to pack it anymore.   We headed off toward the post office in the heat of the noonday sun.  We went up over the hill and through a bunch of different streets where we finally found the post office.  After dad filled out a bunch of forms and had to cut the box open to show what was inside, I sat outside with mom and Jenna making a fan out of a pamphlet because it was so hot.

Spice market.

 After that was done, we headed toward the spice market to check out what it was.  It was a bit like the Grand Bazar except with a bunch of dried fruit and spices instead of carpets and bracelets.  Around the corner was a giant pet market.  At first we went and looked at some of the fish and then we found the birds.  The store was full of bird cages of all different kinds and colours and the racket was extremely loud.  In one of the bird stores there were birds that looked like chickens but had feathery feet that looked really funny how they pranced around.  We decided to move on to the guinea pigs, bunnies, puppies and kittens.  One of the kittens was trying to attack a puppy’s tail that was in the cage next to it.  I wanted to take one of the kittens and a puppy home but dad wouldn't let me.

Waiting for the boat to get going.

Dad herded us out of the pet market and we headed toward the water where there was a nice wind to cool things down.  There was a guy trying to get people to go on a boat tour.  So dad said, why not and we hopped on the boat.  It took quite a while to leave but when we finally left we saw a bunch of neat looking buildings.  We went under the two bridges that cross the Bosphorus Strait and on the way back we crossed under one bridge that almost hit the top of the boat.  One thing I noticed was that there was quite a few people that would jump into the water and hang out around the sides.  The current seemed strong and dad figured the tide was going out creating the current.  It was fun and we got to see a lot more of the city this way.

The Topkapi Palace in the background.

Old meets new with an older Sultans palace and new skyscraper.

Trying to find our way home we found a McDonalds and I convinced dad that we should get a McFlurry, so we all did.  They make McFlurry’s different here than at home as they just sprinkle the Smarties over the top and don’t mix them in.  While we ate our ice cream we headed to a store that we had seen some pants from the night before.  The guy that owed the shop brought dad some tea while we tried on some pants.  I also tried on a dress that I surprisingly liked.  Dad bartered with the shop owner and we ended up getting everything and he threw in a free scarf for me. 

When we got back to the hotel we took mom to a restaurant we really liked that we went to two days before.  It was really good food and the Kurdish waitress we had was very nice.  After we finished our dinner we all had apple tea and a delicious fruit plate.  Then we headed back to the hotel to pack up for our trip to Gerome tomorrow.  It was a fun way to spend our last day in Istanbul.

An old fort that was used to defend the Bosphorus Strait.

The Topkapi Palace (right) Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque (left).

Crazy sultans build huge palaces along the Bosphorus.

Another sultan palace from a long time ago.