Bates in Istanbul

This is our last day/night of unlimited email so I thought I would just check in from Istanbul.

We walked from our hotel over to the Grande Marche Market the first day. This is one of the biggest indoor full-time markets in the world. So large and so easy to get lost. Arta was there with us last time we were in Istanbul. Mid afternoon we were smelling good food so we sat down with the locals in a small stall to eat. Delicious!

From our room on the fourth floor this is our view to the harbour.

A second view of the harbour from our window. Six times a day prayers are sung over the extra loud loudspeakers from every mosque in the city. They sing the 'wet bum' song. It has not changed since 1974 when we lived in Malaysia. Then the TV show would stop for prayers to be sung. Greg remembers Teague getting so mad when his show was interrupted.

As we walked into the market we noticed a man squishing pomegranates and selling juice. I just could not pass it up. It should be called 'pucker juice'. It is straight and unsweetened but so delicious. Remember Dad cutting pomegranates and giving us each a section to eat. Well this way there are no seeds, just the rich, tart, juice.

Here is the pomegranate man pushing his cart up the hill just outside our bedroom window. Istanbul is built on a mountain but the mountain has been paved and cobblestoned over. Great exercise!

 Then I could not pass up this young boy selling candy taffy suckers. I had three flavours on mine. The sucker stretched, it stuck to my teeth, it was sweet and wrapped around a stick. It would be a fun project at Shuswap. Arta is in charge because I have seen her make taffy.

There is never enough time to see everything in Istanbul. Tomorrow we leave for Bulgaria.