Turkish Delight!!

Forgive me...I couldn't help myself!! We have been in Istanbul since Wednesday, and I can't tell you how much we love it. In fact, I am certain that if we didn't own our loft in St. Paul or have such wonderful family and friends back home we would never leave. It is truly a special special place! I could go on and on and on about the magnificent architecture, the gorgeous mosques, the phenomenal food, the way the city stretches to infinity, the winding cobblestone streets, the abundance of textiles and linens and ceramics and tiles and spice markets and carpets and millions of other interesting things at the bazaar, but it's the generosity and hospitality of the people that have made this place so special to us. The woman who owns our guesthouse (Vica Guesthouse in Sultanahmet) has been extraordinarily helpful and kind, and we are very grateful to her. We have been taking our time visiting the historical sights and wandering around the different neighborhoods of the city. It's been sunny and 50, but today is rainy. It's usually quite a bit warmer this time of year, but we don't mind. The tulips are in bloom, and the trees are about to pop. One of the local football teams, Beşiktaş, was playing on Friday night so we wandered down near the stadium to watch the game at a nearby pub. We knew the tickets were expensive, but we thought it wouldn't hurt to find the box office just in case. You won't believe this, but in our search for the box office a man just gave us 2 seats for the game! For free! Unbelievable! It was so incredible, and I know it was just amazing for Jon. Apparently they are having a terrible season because they tied the game (2-2) and afterwards their coach quit. But the crowd was super loud and crazy (Jon says it's the loudest stadium in the world- highest recorded decibel levels) and we had such a great time. We've been eating tons of kebabs and apple tea and I've discovered a deep craving for baklava I didn't know existed. I love the way time is ordered by the 5 daily calls to prayer...watching the faithful stream into the mosques (which are so beautiful and mystifying...) and hearing it echo through the streets. I am sorry to that we don't have many interesting photos because we've just been enjoying our time so much we've forgotten to take them. I think that's a good sign, but I'll try and do better!! We are going to somehow pry ourselves from this city on Thursday evening and take an overnight bus down to Ephesus and into Turkey's interior. I hope this finds you well and warm!

p.s. One other interesting thing to note is that Jon looks Turkish, which is strange for an Irishman, but I suppose Ireland has a complicated history of being conquered. The Turks are always surprised that he's American and ask about his heritage. Also, our last name Orman is the Turkish word for forest.

Photos: Jon, and beyond is our guesthouse, and beyond that the sea...
On the waterfront: Neo-Baroque Mosque on the Bosphorus. We took a boat cruise down the Bosphorus to the Black Sea.