Istanbul

We got up early and went to the restaurant for breakfast. A beautiful buffet with hard boiled eggs, fruits ( fresh apricots yum) vegetables, every thing you can think of to drink, bread, honey still in the comb. We sat on a deck looking over the city and harbor, sea gulls calling. The Blue Mosque was on one side and the Hagia Sophia on the other. I went Turkish and wore a shawar kameze (sp?) It is all cotton, long sleeves long pants and a scarf to wear around your neck or head. I actually did you it as a head scarf a lot. It kept the sun off my head. The Mosque was very pretty and old.

Digression: Old has an entirely different meaning here. There is Texas old ( 150- 200 years) East Coast old ( 1700 A.D. ) Turkish old, that you are walking around in is like 500 AD. The streets are old the walls are old. Not everywhere. There are a lot of new buildings and industry. But the old stuff is really old.

The Mosque is still in use. There is a tourist side you can go in. The tiles and mosaics are fabulous. Imagine a dome that climbs in to the sky with windows with stained glass all over it. Very cool.

We went over to the Sophia. Sort of a line to get in but it wasn’t that bad. Now you have to understand that everyone here is working all the time doing something to separate you from your money. So we had a boatload of guides ask us if we wanted them to show us through the museum. We said no to everyone, but the thing is there is almost nothing to tell you what is what in the museum. It would have really helped to have someone tell us about the place. But it had been a work in progress. It was built by Justinian. It was a beautiful cathedral. There are all sorts of mosaics that are gorgeous. Later Muslims took it over but contrary to usual practice, instead of destroying the murals, they plastered over them. Now work is going on to uncover the mosaics. All sorts of young women in head scarves climb up on scaffolding and carefully remove tiny bits of plaster and in no air conditioning. I was so tired I fell asleep sitting up in a chair in an outside snack area.

Then we went to the ship, checked in and had our welcome lunch. We went back into to town for Jeannie’s birthday dinner at Hamdi Restaurant. The service is always so good and we had fantastic food. Dessert was great: baklava and this stuff that took 20 min. to make. We took pictures and Mr. Hamdi himself took a picture with Jeannie and then took a picture of the three of us. It took awhile to get home because we didn’t have the address of the ship. The staff of the restaurant worked very hard to figure it out and finally we got back. One more little drama went one of us lost out key card for the boat and we had to go back to the Hamdi to see if it was there. We finally made it back to the ship and to bed.

Istanbul -First Night
The wedding and the Presidential suite


So we ended up at our hotel, two hours later than we expected, and our host said “ Welcome, You are very happy! Do you want something to drink? Water, coffee, apple tea?” That was the first but certainly not the last time we heard this offer. We got the presidential suite and went up to the roof to talk to the manager about tours, which we declined. Then we decided to stay there and eat supper. Beautiful fresh fish with grilled vegetables. And Raki. This is the national alcohol of Turkey, reminiscent of ouzo but not as anisy. When you add water it turns white and they call it tiger’s milk because it is strong and makes you growl. We could see a lot of Istanbul from the roof and there was a lovely breeze.
We then went out on the streets of Istanbul and naturally we shopped. I then found out my Discover card was not accepted in Turkey or Greece, which is a good thing because I will save money in the long run. The people are incredibly nice and predictable. “Where are you from? What part? I have (pick on of the following) : 1. A cousin who lives in Houston. 2. Been to the states to sell carpets to designers. 3. Went to school in _____________. 4. (personal favorite) born in Colorado.”
People let us use phones to call our credit card, always offered drinks, let me come back and pay the next day for my purchases, had paper airplane contests, and Jeannie’s marriage. Jeannie was trying on a coat and that prompted a spontaneous wedding. Pictures to follow. Home again and to sleep, with our windows open to the night air. NO Mosquitoes! No screens even. The next day is for going to mosques, museums and ………. Can you guess? …… shopping. See a theme?

Flight to Istanbul

Flight to Istanbul
Pictures of the Lovely Claire playing with The Honeypots and the Library Lion and I.
I got up early Sunday, took Gracie for our last walk around Prospect Park, (She drug her heels a little until we got to the squirrels.) then coffee and a Beesting. I found this amazing pastry at Sweet Mellisa’s . Just imagine brioche with vanilla custard dipped in honey caramel and topped with almonds. I ate fast so there wasn’t even a remote chance that Jeannie would wake up in time to ask for a taste.
We had a few last minute things to buy so it was off to Pure Essentials in Brooklyn. Nice man sold us all the things we needed and I tried to persuade him to visit Austin or at least go west. (Austin needs to hire me for their tourist bureau.)
We got to the airport, hitched up with Lynn and got on our flight to Rome with no problem. They feed you good food on those flights. We were right in the middle of the teenage Italians returning from an American tour and even if we could have slept it would have been hard. Flirting, playing cards, talking. Lots like a very long bus ride back from camp.
What to say about the Rome airport? There was a very pretty part to it, but that was not where we were. Our part was equal to many of the finer bus stations in the US. Uncomfortable seating, limited bathroom facilities and the flight left much later than expected. Of course this is seen through the eyes of an exhausted person.
The flight to Istanbul was quick and the trip through the airport was fine then we had an interesting time trying to get picked up to go to the hotel.
Now at this point I pointed out to my sister Jeannie that if we were lined up before a firing squad and they would certainly hit the most stubborn woman on the planet. We all have a plan and are convinced that it is the right one. It makes for some very interesting discussions.
We did make it to the hotel, and that will be the next blog: Night in Istanbul or Marriage of the Sister.

Another amazing day. Gracie, our doggie companion walked in the Prospect Park with me bright and early. Came back and had a lovely scone and coffee, then it was off to Manhattan. We bit the bullet and bought tickets to go see the Addams Family at the 2:00 matinee, so that left us with about four hours to shop, and shop we did! Jeannie fell in love with a clothing store that only has 6 stores in the states and is based in Barcelona. She tried on clothes and I tried to talk the clerk ( very cute and Dutch) to come to Austin. We ate at this little restaurant that had windows that open right on to the street, Bull McCabe style. That was fine until a car caught on fire outside and N.Y.’s finest parked their fire truck right outside our window.

So it was off to the theater at a fast trot cause it was a ways away. The play was too too much fun and great singing and dancing. Then , Hmmmmm shall we try a guess???? More shopping! Back to Brooklyn in time for supper with Claire and Brian. It was fabulous ( thanks again guys {wait that should be ya’ll} {Part of my conversation with the Dutch kid} ) We went up to the famous roof . What a wonderful space that they have created. Back to our Brooklyn apartment, take Gracie for one last walk and fall into bed. No problems sleeping here!

What a way to start a vacation. Easy flight from Austin talking to an almost 5^th grader about her life and school. Sweet polite child. The into NT. We got our own completely fantastic apartment. Then off to free MOMA day ( Thanks Target for sponsoring and Brian for telling us). Picasso , Matisse, cool sculptures fabrics. Confession We butted in line. The line was around the block and my karma is intact only because Jeannie accepted the guilt. More shopping, good food and Claire at the Rock Shop. Could it have been ant better? Another couple thou to spend wouldn’t hurt.

When I was out picking grapes and it was hot and buggy, I imagined myself a mother in a hunting and gathering society. Imagined that if I gave up and didn't get every single grape, that it might mean that my children might be hungry in the winter. I imagined every day being like that, a fight to find food, and the responsibility that was almost overwhelming. I"m glad I could just walk away when I got too tired. But there are women out there that live like this every day.

It's summer time. I again have time and inclination to write as opposed to rant. Stay tuned.