Istanbul

December 19th:

It's our last day here in Istanbul, and I'd like to relate our experience here to you.
It's been great.

December 16th: After we took a quick nap at the hotel, we were ready to go explore the town. We walked around the area near our hotel and saw many interesting things. After we got a few blocks away from the hotel, there was a small lot where a bunch of kids were playing a game of soccer, and some kids were just messing around with the ball along the sides. We soon became really hungry and decided to try out a hazir yemek, which is basically like a cafeteria, that we say on the street. The food was delicious. I had a stereotypical but good shish kebap, or skewered, grilled lamb, and Allison just nibbled off mine, as she's not much of an eater.

December 17th:
We spent this day going to some major tourist destinations that I found on the internet. We went to the Hagia Sophia, a Christian church, much like St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, that is an incredible sight if you're in Istanbul. The Blue Mosque is right next to this church and is also an architectural masterpiece that is a must-see. Both of them were awe-inspiring and caused Allison and I to stare in silence for several minutes. We were hoping to see the famous Topkapi Palace, but we ran out of time.

December 18th:
We spent this day just absorbing the Istanbul society. We went to a hamam, or Turkish bath house to enjoy a robust washing in the hot room, a gentle cleansing in the warm room, and relaxation in the cool room. I was shocked when I discovered that the women were supposed to take off all of their clothing, but men were required to wear a small towel for modesty.