Meet our personal alarm clock: a rooster who lived below us in the Aya Triada Church courtyard.
Our mornings always started with a delicious breakfast. Some bologna, a hard-boiled egg, olives, peynir (cheese), tomato, cucumber, and fresh bread with a variety of spreads. But the best part of waking up was Turkish çay (tea - pronounced like "chai"):
Çay is a smooth, black tea served throughout the day in tiny, tulip-shaped glasses. It quickly became an exciting part of our daily routine.
Dondurma (turkish ice cream) - delicious!
We walked down Istiklal Avenue almost every day. Istiklal is one of the busiest streets I've ever seen. It is lined with beautiful Art Nouveau and Art Deco style architecture, with a old-fashioned tram (streetcar) running all day long (appropriately called the Nostalgic).
After admiring the gilded gates at Galatasaray Square, we continued down Istiklal to Tünel, which is home to many adorable street cats.
We embarked on the steep walk down Kaldirim Avenue toward the waterfront, and caught a glimpse into the lives of everyday Turks.
At the bottom of the hill, I got my first glimpse of Galata Bridge and the Golden Horn waterway.
We opted to be adventurous and a different route home. We walked along Kemenkeş Avenue, and then zigzagged uphill, back towards the hotel. To my delight, we stumbled upon some lovely antique shops. It was the ultimate test of will power to resist visiting each one.
And by this time, it was dinnertime. A şiş (shish) and some baklava on Istiklal, and we nestled back into our room. I suspect jet lag was to blame.
We walked down Istiklal Avenue almost every day. Istiklal is one of the busiest streets I've ever seen. It is lined with beautiful Art Nouveau and Art Deco style architecture, with a old-fashioned tram (streetcar) running all day long (appropriately called the Nostalgic).
After admiring the gilded gates at Galatasaray Square, we continued down Istiklal to Tünel, which is home to many adorable street cats.
We embarked on the steep walk down Kaldirim Avenue toward the waterfront, and caught a glimpse into the lives of everyday Turks.
At the bottom of the hill, I got my first glimpse of Galata Bridge and the Golden Horn waterway.
We opted to be adventurous and a different route home. We walked along Kemenkeş Avenue, and then zigzagged uphill, back towards the hotel. To my delight, we stumbled upon some lovely antique shops. It was the ultimate test of will power to resist visiting each one.
And by this time, it was dinnertime. A şiş (shish) and some baklava on Istiklal, and we nestled back into our room. I suspect jet lag was to blame.
