May 22 - Istanbul to Mykonos: Night Becomes Day Becomes Night

An overcast morning from our breakfast terrace.



View of Hagia Sophia from the breakfast terrace.



This is what my breakfast looked like every morning at Hanedan Hotel. It was fabulous and kept me full for hours. The yogurt...oh, the yogurt. Turkish yogurt is the best. It has the depth of flavor of Greek yogurt but with a runnier consistency, but still thicker than American yogurt. If Goldilocks picked out a yogurt, she would certainly go with the Turkish variety.



We wanted to revisit Sogukcesme Street in the daytime, walking along the border of Hagia Sophia's pink wall. The colored wooden houses are picturesque.





Street art across from Gulhane Sur Cafe, the Hookah Bar from last night, on Sogukcesme.





The Spice Market.



I bought Ottoman Spice, a mixture of chili, garlic, and I'm sure a bunch of other spices, from this store. I didn't have any particular reason for choosing this shop, it just seemed like a good choice and not packed so we could take photos.









The New Mosque in the daytime.



Rustem Pasha Mosque (my favorite) and Suleymaniye Mosque in the background.



Closer.



Kunefe. A dessert of cheese fried over a grill, soaked in sweet syrup, and topped with pistachios. DIVINE and unlike anything I've ever tasted. Just get one to share. It would be way too rich to eat a whole one by yourself. This one was from a great little place near the plaza between the New Mosque and Rustem Pasha called Lezzet-i Sark.



Our server took my fork and showed me how it's done for the kunefe money shot.



I am a lover of anything that looks or sounds like a croquette. Seriously, I think that croquettes might be my favorite food in the world. Basically, anything deep fried on the outside with multiple softer ingredients on the inside I find intriguing. One of Turkey's versions is icle kofte and it didn't disappoint.



I don't know what was in there, but it was crispy on the outside, soft in the center, and also had a nice kick of spice to it. Unexpected and much appreciated.



The Hippodrome. AKA the old phallic thing that you go and see in every ancient city, look at it for 30 seconds, and wonder why you came to see it. But we knew this going in, didn't plan on even stopping by, but we had time before our plane and it was close to the hotel. So if you like phallic things and hieroglyphics, this is for you.



And one more shot of Hagia Sophia because we'd taken so many photos of the Blue Mosque with our backs turned to her, and I felt bad and didn't want her to feel left out.



And...onto Greece! We flew to Mykonos and had our hotel pick us up at the airport. The sunset from our room at Hotel Pelican overlooking Mykonos Town.



We ventured down the hill into Mykonos Town. I was surprised at all the great shopping opened late. Cool jewelry and clothing at all different price ranges. Mykonos was a shopping paradise that I wasn't expecting.

Dinner at Kostas.



We shared a mixed Greek plate for two. It was gigantic and everything tasted like something made by Grandma (if your grandma was a good cook, if not, hopefully someone in your life filled that spot). Moussaka, pastis, beans, braised beef, stuffed tomatoes, and mushrooms. So, so good.



Church in the harbor.

May 21 - Istanbul: Fancy Footwear and The Best Apple is the One that Flavors the Shisha

Dolmabahce, a European inspired palace as seen from the Bosphorous.





No photos and we were required to wear stylish footwear to protect the floors.



We toured through the extravagant palace and at times the interior made Versailles look humble. Every detail was ornate, that's about the only way I can describe it. Everything in the palace was imported from western Europe, including multiple giant crystal chandeliers. The only things in the palace that were Turkish were the rugs.

We also toured the Harem, the less luxurious, more comfortable living quarters for the Sultan, his wives, children, and mother. The mother ran the house. It was still gigantic and fairly luxurious.

One of the palace's lovely courtyards.











The crows in Turkey are grey and black.



Entrance to the palace as we were leaving.



For lunch, we headed to Taksim Square. We bought burgers and Aryan (yogurt drink) from Kizilkayalar. It's kind of like a White Castle Burger soaked in tomato sauce. Nothing wrong with that.




We ate in the little park above Taksim Square so we could have a shady view.



After lunch, we walked down the busy shopping street, Istiklal. We stopped at Mandabatmaz for THE BEST Turkish coffee I drank in Istanbul. Also, I am a sucker for cute signage, and there is a bull standing atop of a coffee cup, so I am won over already.



Ah, look at its glory. Just like hot chocolate...but coffee. Heaven.



The fish market street as seen from busy Istiklal Street.



Walked through Tophane, an artsy neighborhood which I highly recommend. If I go back to Istanbul, or if anyone I know is traveling to Istanbul, I would tell them to stay in a hotel here. There are tons of restaurants and clubs, everyone is young, it's not overrun with tourists, and there are art galleries here and there for some free culture.

We only went to two galleries, but they were both cool, so I felt fulfilled. My favorite was Daire, which at the time we went was showing a great photography exhibit called THIS WAS by Cemre Yesil. Due to the glory of the internet, some of the exhibit can be seen here. Cemre is extremely talented and inspires me to become a better photographer.

After art, dessert. Baklava at Karakoy Gulluoglu.



Then, onto the craziness, the Grand Bazaar. We kept getting lost and then going in circles. You can see why.





Every way you look it stretches as far as you can see.



Dinner break at the edge of the Market at Aynen Durum. The best part of the meal was the pickle and pepper plate that came with the chicken durum. I do enjoy good pickles.



Hubs took this great photo of a group of friends laughing.



There are lots and lots of stray dogs and cats in Istanbul (and Greece). At first, it seems depressing, but then you realize that they're healthy, for the most part, and you become accustomed to seeing them sleeping in shady nooks throughout town. A popular place for dogs was in the park between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. One dog found the ultimate sleeping spot.



We passed this hookah bar on our first night and I vowed to come back. It's on Sogukcesme Street, right behind Hagia Sophia. Just walk down until you are almost to the bottom of the hill and you arrive at Gulhane Sure Cafe.



It's outdoor, but covered, and completely peaceful at night. I had never smoked before but our server gave us some pointers and it was a wonderful, relaxing time with our apple shisha (and, no, it does not get you high, it is merely sweet, flavored tobacco that tastes and smells amazing in a way that only things that are terrible for you can).



Late night snack curtesy of a van with a grill in it parked across from our hotel. This man grilled some sliced sausage while we waited.



Probably the best sandwich of our trip.