Istanbul: 3rd Day

After an eventful 2nd day in Istanbul, Howard and I decided to take it easy on our last day in Istanbul. Specifically, we went to both the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar in search of a Turkish tea set for Howard. The markets in Istanbul are quite a bit tamer than the ones in both Morocco and Egypt, resembling a more normal shopping environment. In fact, the Grand Bazaar is quite a bit like a shopping mall, with various "stores" or "stalls" selling the various wares of Turkey, including gold/silver, spices, clothing, games, tea, etc. Howard ultimately found a very nice set with a silver teapot and tray for around $60 Turkish Lira. Not bad:




In the afternoon, we took a boat cruise on the Bosphorus River. We climbed on a large boat/ship and sailed the river with many Turkish people, while listening to local musical favorites. The path took us up the river all the way past the bridge between the Asian and European sides of Istanbul, past several maginificent homes on the water, past several amazing mosques and other historical sites of Istanbul/Constantinople/Byzantium. It was really fun:





After the cruise, we settled in for a nice Turkish lunch. At the restaurant, we heard music from the Dolapdere Big Gang, a Turkish band that covers American band music with a turkish twist. The music is pretty good, covering "Smoke on the Water", "Losing my Religion", and "Billie Jean". Check it out, if u get the chance...