Istanbul, Turkey

Becca and I next to the Bosphorus Strait.

     After dropping off our heavy suitcases, Becca and I were ready to explore our new home-Sultanahmet Square. The cobbled streets curved around in a haphazard pattern, and there were hills around every corner. As we set off up, down, and around, we stumbled across a tiny restaurant emitting a delicious aroma. After satisfying our craving for Turkish flavors, we set off under a gate and through a carefully cultivated garden. 

     Arriving at the other side of the park, we found ourselves within a area thriving with restaurants and shops. We walked for hours, exploring the waterway and chatting with others that were enjoying the day. Returning to our familiar surroundings, we stopped at a bakery with brightly colored delicacies. Perusing the sweets, we made our selections, joking with the charismatic chef. We left the shop satisfied with our decisions, but didn't make it further than a few steps before we were stopped. The enthusiastic chef had chased us down the sidewalk and tugged us back into his restaurant. Plying us with tea and more sweets, he regaled us with stories and questioned us about our lives. He insisted upon showing us around his business and even let us help bake! Many laughs and a few pictures later, we went home amidst promises to return soon. 

Interior of the Hagia Sophia.

The next day we set off bright and early, thanks to Becca and her endless morning energy. (I suppose it evens out when I keep us out until late evening.) First on our list was the Hagia Sophia. This inspiring structure was first built as a cathedral, converted into a mosque, and is now preserved as a museum. The architecture was stunning, and we spent a large part of our morning exploring the intricate details of this museum.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque.

     We turned around and set off for the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commonly called the Blue Mosque. There were two entrances, one in the front for Muslims coming to pray, and one around back, for visitors coming to appreciate the beauty. We headed around back and were given a plastic bag for our shoes, and Becca was given a  piece of cloth, as her shoulders were not properly covered. 

Chandelier within the Blue Mosque.

     The interior of the mosque was stunning. Called the "Blue Mosque" for its signature blue tiles, the colors were illuminated by an enormous chandelier hung from the ceiling. For as many mosques as we've seen, I never tire of their exquisite elegance. We then decided to explore the famous Grand Bazaar. 

Glass, clay and cement wall.

     On our way to the Bazaar, we passed a fascinating wall. It was made of pottery and glass shards, blended together to form an eye-catching piece of artwork. Plants grew over the top of the wall, forming a striking contrast that I wanted to recreate myself. We wandered around, asking for directions, until we made it to the Bazaar. Walking into the covered market, I was surprised at how organized and new everything looked. Knock-off bags, chintzy souvenirs, and shiny gold jewelry greeted us at every turn. Initially, I was disappointed with the amount of goods offered, everything began to look the same. But then we stepped outside into the uncovered market and found where the locals bargain. There were more streets than we could even begin to explore. Copper pots and pans, plastic beads, and designer perfume lined one row, while turning the corner led to garden seeds, silk scarves, and t-shirts. Pushing through the throngs of people took its toll on our energy level, so we tucked our bargained purchases into our bags, and set off for the hotel. 

     Luckily, Becca and I have a sense of adventure, because our return trip took about four hours. We set off in the wrong direction, trekking through the neighborhoods of Istanbul, in search of Sultanahmet Square. We climbed stone stairs, bonded with children (at least Becca did) and finally ended up back along the Bosphorus. Re-routing ourselves, we made it back to our hotel. 

The interior of Topkapi Palace.

     The next day, we set out for Topkapi Palace. The Ottoman Sultans lived and ruled from these enormous grounds for about four hundred years. There were fantastic examples of Ottoman era architecture, along with wonderfully preserved jewelry, weapons, and artwork. We then decided to return to the Bazaar, but to the area we had missed before- Spice. As we wandered through the aisles of the Spice Bazaar, we were easily distracted by barrels of cardamom, dried apricots, and Turkish delights. Our favorite treat was sesame and honey covered peanuts.  As we walked amidst the calls of "where are you from? Brazil? France?" and "angels, please come back," we decided upon gifts and treats for those at home. Home was no longer a distant thought. However, there were still two days left, and I was ready to explore a new environment. 

Thessaloniki, Greece: The In-between

Burnt in our train compartment.

  
      Taking the metro to the train station, Becca and I said goodbye to Hashim, and bought overnight train tickets. Finding our train compartment however, proved to be more of an adventure. The entire Greek army was on our train. And they were all pushing past us, in the opposite direction. As we finally figured out what car we were in, we stumbled on the train, delirious from a sunburn and lack of sleep. It's a good thing that we aren't claustrophobic, because the foot of space allocated to sleep in was quite confining. After watching Sex and the City Two (bootlegged from Athens), we curled up in our tiny spaces, waking up occasionally to apply more aloe.

     We arrived in Thessaloniki at seven thirty am. Perfect timing. Our train from Thessaloniki was supposed to leave at eight am. And then our adventure began. While Andy had thought that the man had said eight am, he actually said eight pm. There we were in the train station, a suitcase and handbag apiece, with twelve hours for our train. Never ones to overlook a chance to explore, we locked up our suitcases and set off to explore this new city.

     While exploring, we decided to be practical as well. Internet was on our priority list, as we wanted to find a hotel in Istanbul before we arrived. Finding an internet connection, however, proved to be more difficult than we originally thought. Especially on a Sunday in Orthodox Greece. Fortunately, we're very determined. After a few awkward conversations, an espresso shop that claimed to have internet but only boasted a scantily clad barista with tables full of poicemen, and wandering around with my iPhone trying to find a wireless signal, we found it.

     The restaurant was not open (Sunday), but the owner was sitting outside and invited us to sit and use the internet. Thank goodness. We quickly found a hotel, and set off for a walk by the water. Two Ice cream treats and a funny picture of Becca on a kiddie train later ,  we were on our way back to the train station. As both of us are great with directions, it took considerably longer than we anticipated. We stumbled upon a fruit stand and picked up some dinner for later on the train. We waited a little bit longer (our patience improved immensely on this trip) and we boarded the train in dire need of some sleep. But sleep was not in the cards for us.

View of Turkish countryside from our train window.

We were abruptly woken up about 230am by a loud, booming PASSPOOOOORTS! Startled and fumbling for our glasses (at least I'm not alone in my blindness) we opened our door and handed them to the night guard. Fifteen minutes later, our door was pounded upon and our passports handed back.  Thinking the customs part of our trip was over, we snuggled back into our blankets. False. Another Turkish man came by, pounded on our door, and again demanded our passports. Okay. And then the same loud booming voice was ordering us outside. At four am? Luckily, Becca and I are cheery people. But this was pushing it a bit. We stumbled out of our cramped car in our pajamas, confused and unsure of what was going on. 

     We stood in line on the train tracks, shivering on the border of Greece and Turkey. One by one, we were escorted into a brightly lit hut and paid for our Turkish visas. Finally, we thought we were finished. Alas, we were again mistaken. Another man ambled by our compartments and pounded on the door, booming "CUSTOMS." After finding out that we're two young girls from America, he smiled and said "Good night." Pleased that our baggage was not going to be searched, a rigorous process but even more draining at five in the morning, we laid back down. And finally our passports were returned.

Sunflower fields in Turkey.

     Perhaps the overnight train was not our best choice, but it was definitely an adventure. Next time, we don't need to bother with the sleeper train, as we were up all night anyway. At least the cheery sunflowers brightened our day. Onto the bus portion of our trip. An estimated hour trip, ended up taking two, but we finally arrived. A hotel has never looked so good.

Poros Island, Greece

At a restaurant on Poros Island.

     Tan and pleased we are, at Poros Island. After we decided to explore some Greek islands, it was only a matter of choosing which island would fit in our schedule. As much as I wanted to explore Santorini with it's white homes and clear blue water, but alas, this was not in our time schedule or budget. We eventually settled upon Poros Island, a trip that required a few hours on a boat to get us there. 

     We woke up at Becca's peak morning hours, aka freakishly early, and set off for another adventure. Making our way to the coastline, we found many ferries and chose one that looked promising. As Hashim, Rebecca and I ascended the boat, we chattered about our excitement for tan lines. Two and a half hours, two small island stops, and a persistent sea gull later, we arrived at our destination. We then enjoyed a toasty day of sun and lemonade. Content with our sun kissed skin, we boarded the boat back to Athens and our next adventure- traveling from Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey.

Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea.