Istanbul

Tastes, Sites, and Sounds

Getting into Istanbul was long but surprisingly smooth. We flew on Pegasus (K swore off budget airlines moving forward) and had a long drive from SAW to the place we were staying in Beyoğlu. We had a fun car with lights in the ceiling and had views driving in. Our two oldest watched Kedo on the plane and were concerned when we didn’t see cats on the highway. Checking in with our host, they learned that cats were indeed aplenty, even just outside our apartment. Our apartment was spacious and clean and had a lovely view. The reflective windows kept people from seeing us as they took selfies with the view. It became a regular occurrence during our stay as we sat inside discussing their thoughts. Our first night was a late dinner and we were not disappointed by our experience at Pera Port Kebab and Yemek House, where we got to leave our mark.

Our first day included a early morning hamam for K at Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamam, just down the hill from our stay. She enjoyed it so much she returned our last morning in town. After her intensive bathing and massage, we had a family adventure up to Taksim Square and then strolled down to Galata Tower. We played on a playground, ate a Turkish lunch, window shopped, bought Turkish delights for ourselves and family, toured the cat museum, saw the green birds in the walls of Galata tower, and pet many cats along the way. J got to end the day with his own hamam experience.

Our second day we rode the tram down to explore the Spice Market, the New Mosque, the Grand Bizarre, and Suleymaniye Mosque. We met a little kitten, experienced the (extreme) chaos of Istanbul, made some purchases, ate some Turkish food, and gained a better understanding of Islam. At the end of the outing, K and A2 headed to a twirling dervish experience, which they both highly recommend.

Our third day we needed to decompress. We had a Turkish breakfast down the street and with a view. The food was a big hit with the kids as it was choose your own experience meal. We took the tram to the Dolmabahçe Palace and nearby mosque. The two older kids used their money to buy tops that were heavily used the rest of our time in Istanbul. We rode an underground funicular, always a hit with the kids. And J and A8 completed the day with a whirling dervishes while the K and the other kids spent time at the playground near our apartment.

Our fourth day in Istanbul was a long one with a visit to the Topkapi Palace. We signed for a short guided tour followed by our own exploration of the harem and palace. The harem was much bigger than we expected and took a decent amount of time to explore and understand. After lunch in the small cafe in the palace, where our youngest was stung by a wasp, we further explored. We gained a better understanding of palace life and an appreciation for their royal garments. We also took in views, got a photo with a guard, and pet yet another cat. Our youngest also managed multiple head bonks on one statue (in addition to the wasp sting).

Needing another low key day, we ventured to the Asian side of Istanbul, utilizing the public ferry. The start of the day was cold, wet, and fairly quiet. After a walk through a neighborhood to the coast, we made our way back to a dry and active market. We bounced around various stalls for food, and realized Pide was actually what we wanted.

After that, we made our way back to the ferry. After getting back to the European side, we attempted the funicular to Tunnel (a tram stop). After much searching, we found that it was temporarily closed. We ended the day with more time at our nearby playground with a view.

Our last full day, we kicked off the day with a visit to the Basilica Cistern. We bought four skip the line tickets ahead of time and brought passports for the two youngest to get them in without a ticket. We only spent about an hour there but it was a somewhat magical experience. Afterwards, we enjoyed snacks nearby before heading to the Blue Mosque before long lines formed. The kids received a free snack from a volunteer on our way in and we didn’t wait long before going in an experiencing the Blue Mosque. Then, we hit different spots on the walking tour we developed for the day, including many items from the kids’ scavenger hunt we developed for them. Though we couldn’t see the cistern under the Nakkaş Carpet Store, we did learn much about the making of Turkish rugs. We ate lunch at 7 Hills, where we enjoyed delicious but overpriced food with a lovely view. They provide bread on forks to feed seagulls on the roof, making very fun videos and photos for our family. We ended the day with a little more play and Dodurma.

Our last day was low key. We very much appreciate that our host was willing to hold our luggage while we did a little last bit of adventuring. I realized I no longer needed to bathe myself and started the day at the hamam. After which, we ventured to Takism square to attempt shipping items home, play at the playground, ride the trolley, and get lunch. Lunch was pizza that hit the spot. Obviously, there was plenty of petting kittens along the way. Our departure included a ride with traffic to the airport where we enjoyed the lounge but sadly (and yet again) ran out of time to enjoy a play area before boarding a plane for Kenya.