Time for Turkey: We Did All Those Things

I was about to tell you that we had a day of perfect timing except that we just went down to the lobby at 9:58 and were told that the kitchen closed at 10:00 and we could have no food.

So today, I was the one who slept in until almost 9:00. This altered our plans a bit. We did the hospital shuttle - train - ferry into Istanbul. We hoofed it toward Topkapi Palace which was our last of the big three to be seen. We overshot the entrance to go the same Burea De Change that we used on Sunday.
A few steps back toward the Palace we ducked into a shop that was packed to the Gil's with stuff. The proprietor told us lots of jokes and made us laugh. One young girl ducked in to by something and when she asked her dad for the money, the shop owner laughed and said, "you sir, are just the bank. Men and like the bank for her and her (his daughter and wife), and to carry things like small camel. But happy wife means happy life." we both had a fun experience shopping and got what we were looking for. The shopkeeper pinned an evil eye pin on both of us saying that they were for the ladies to keep the bad ones away.

We toured Topkapi Palace and the headed over to the Grand Bazaar stopping to have lunch at the World Famous Pudding Shop. We aren't sure that 50 yrs later it still gets to be world famous but they had a nice lunch.

Some interior views of Topkapi Palace

We weren't feeling the Grand Bazaar and all it's shopkeepers with their smooth lines:

Don't you like me?
I have exactly want you want.
Now is time to see my shop.
Where are you from? Is it Germany? Then you need to buy a carpet.

 The Grand Bazaar

 This one is from the Spice Bazaar where I bought my husband a kilo of Turkish Delight

We decided that even though we had changed our plan we could still make a Bosphorous Cruise. The quickest way to the dock lead us through the Spice Bazaar where I bought some candy to take home (thank god they sealed it or I would be all over that). We were hoping there would be 5:15 cruise or we would be too late for our hotel bound transportation. As we approached the dock, I worked on converting 5:15 in my head. 17:15! Just as we got close enough to read the 17:15 on the schedule board I saw the dock attendant start to waive off the boat. We yelled to him and he pointed at the ticket counter signaling that is wasn't too late. We enjoyed a cruise up the Bosphorous and back. There are no guides to tell you what you are looking at but we saw some pretty views.

The Fortress of Europe from the Bosphorus

So then we reversed our morning route back to the hotel. Showered, called home and about 9:55 decided we were hungry.

Luckily, we had two Turkey pastries in our room that we bought yesterday.