Pics!

Here's the much anticipated photo edition... enjoy! We are having a good time in Istanbul despite the cold, rainy weather. We have discovered a bowling alley with pool, air hockey and darts close to our hostel and have spent lots of time there between sight seeing outings to avoid the cold weather. Love to all.

[Editor's note: Chrissa, you would have loved the whirling dervishes!!]

Eis Tan Polis

Wow, I am so lazy, so much for trying to post once a week. Anyway I think last it was north Africa.

So we flew out of Marrakech and into Luton, which is called London for some reason but is actually a 45 minute fast train from London. Here we stayed at a little place called Leaside Hotel, this was really close to the airport. It was nice there and after talking with the head chef for an hour or so over a few imperial pints, we became friends. Hi Sparky!

Next we flew into Sabiha Gokcen airport on the Asian side of Istanbul. Istanbul, by the way, means "to the city" in Greek. Way back when it was Constantinople everyone called it "the city" and the signs all said "to the city." When the Turks saw the signs that said in Greek, "eis tan polis," they thought that was the name of the city. After a bit the "polis" part was changed to "bul." Okay back on track.

Now we are back in Istanbul and are trying to see all of the things we missed last time. The weather has been a mixed bag with warm spring-like days as well as cold rainy ones too.

So far we have tackled the Military Museum, which honestly could have its own post. Really all this stuff should but I am too lazy, like Behlul the rad Planet Paprika cat who sleeps all the time. Man, I am wandering huh?

Also deserving its own post is the Dolmabache Palace, which is a gorgeous 19th century European style palace built in the last days of the Ottoman Empire. Huge and palacial, gold and crystal and paintings... completely over the top. I think a google search will turn up some cool pics, which is good because we weren't allowed to take pictures inside.

We lucked out with the Pera Museum too. Pera is the old name of the neighborhood around Taksim Sqare, which is now called Beyoglu (silent "g" there). Anyway yeah, the Pera is an art Museum and the regular standing exhibit is amazing with great art of old Istanbul city life. There was also a visiting exhibit of 19th century Russian art - famous and gorgeous paintings. However, the real gem was the featured works of Diego Rivera and Frieda Kahlo on exhibit at this time. Sarah you would have loved it!

We went to the fish market and fell in love with Hamsi - little anchovies. Really delicious and only 5TL for a kilo.

We had to do the Archeological Museum again, and really, we could use a few more trips. If you like old things like the code of Hamurabi, the first written peace treaty, hundreds of Greek and Roman sculptures and other artifacts like that. Honestly, it is incredible how much old stuff they have. Like a museum right?

The neighboring Gulahane park is really nice and has statues, trees and more museums. There were all kinds of birds in the trees, including herons and bright green parrots. This is where we found the Museum of Islamic Science and Technology, which was cool - and educational. Models of weapons, castles, books and chemistry from so long ago. Cool models of the planets and stars as well as an explanation of what makes a rainbow, from year 1200, were really top notch. Basically, the Islamic scientists, doctors and mathematicians of old were centuries ahead of their European counterparts. As in inventing the number zero and using anethstesia... in about the year 1000.

Let's see, what else. Neighborhood veg market on Sundays is great, and lets us practice our Turkish. Endless walks down Istiklal and ducking into little streets. Eating street food and hanging with incredibly cool people who happen to be in the hostel with us. All this and more have cemented our love of Istanbul.

So, as the Islamic world turns over its latest page in history - demanding something new, Turkey and Istanbul keep rolling along happy to be a Republic and not living under an oppressive regime.

We will stay here a few more days and then we're off to Crete... somehow. I guess train travel is cancelled in Greece right now? More museums, more walking, eating, hanging, architecture, shopping, dervishing, you get it.

Missing all you lovely friends and family! Peace to all.

It's Poppin in North Africa!

Well there's no denying it, these are exciting times in North Africa. Revolutions can be important facilitators for change and usually come from people who have had all they can take. There is always the last straw. As we sit back and watch from a much more connected part of the world, we are happy for the stability of Morocco, for now.


Many folks here seem to show support for Egypt, and for the King as well. So, as far as we can tell, all is well in our little part of Africa... which is back on the beach in Essaouira. We chose to spend the last of our days out of Marrakech and Essaouira fit just right. Like an old pair of tennis shoes.


We took the bus here this time instead of the grand taxi, and that was just fine. It took a bit longer but we didn't have to cram in the back of a taxi. Everybody had a nice view and comfy seat from the second storey of the bus. After three hours and a few comical beggars in the bus stations we got off the bus sort of close to where we thought we needed to be. We walked back to where we thought our place for a few days was and the guy who we thought was our man was waiting for us... turns out he was our man.... and somehow he managed to pick us out. The apartment we are in is pretty cool, it almost seems like we are staying in a museum. There are beautiful rugs, carved furniture and nice tile. Cause I guess nice tile is in a museum.


It is a short walk to the beach, maybe about 5 min. There was so much going on along this short,(2km) beach. Here is a list of things on the beach or directly in the water. Camels, horses, surfers, windsurfers, kite boarders, an island prison, fishing boats, castle walls, sand dunes, of course people and a few dogs. That's all I can remember.


We were fortunate to find a stick for playing stickball and this kept us busy for about 2 hours. It turns out I really sucked at hitting that damn tennis ball. In 3 at bats I struck out twice, and those were like 20-pitch strike outs. While the boys and Cadence never struck out, in like 20 at bats, and they had 4 strikes you're out. So yeah I sucked. It was still super fun. I love stick ball. So we made sure to keep the stick.


The other two hours, before we were starving, we built sand castles. Diego and I decided on an Egyptian theme of Sphynx and Pyramid, just to be on the safe side. At least one Moroccan dude gave me a thumbs up.

It is nice to be back at the beach. We will check out the castle ramparts and maybe take a dune tour on a camel, or get some ice cream or something. And I think we will keep half an ear on good old Al Jazeera.


Y'know keep up on current affairs.


P.S. our wimpy modem won't let us download pictures for now, so maybe in a couple weeks we will catch up on photos with a special edition photo montage blog. Yay!