Istanbul Day 4

Today was our last day in Istanbul and we spent it busily sightseeing. We started our day at the Topkapi Palace, the seat of Ottoman rule and the residence of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years. It always amazes me during our palace tours (whether it be Hapsburgs or Ottomans, French kings or Spanish royalty) the opulence in which the ruling class surrounded themselves while their subjects lived so poorly. During our tour of the Topkapi we saw an 86 karat diamond, emeralds larger than walnuts, and more rubies than I could count. We also saw jewel encrusted thrones and kaftans worn by the various sultans (some of these guys had a SERIOUS weight problem!). Our tour also included a look at some of the most significant holy items of the Muslim faith: Moses' staff, Abraham's cooking pot, Joseph's turban, David's sword and Muhammad's footprint (I would have thought most of these would be considered Jewish holy items, but what do I know?).

After spending 2+ hours at the Topkapi Palace, we made our way to the Grand Bazaar, the world's oldest shopping mall, and an experience in itself. The Grand Bazaar was a maze of streets and alleys teeming with people. There were a number of times where I got totally turned around. It was a good thing Rich was with me. Surprisingly, we didn't buy anything, but just wandered the streets.

From the Grand Bazaar we caught a tram to Istanbul's cosmopolitan New District and spent the remainder of the afternoon strolling the Istiklal Caddesi (also a mass of people as evidenced by the photo above). Before tackling Istiklal, we fortified ourselves with a Chai tea and a chocolate Frappucino at the local Starbucks. By the time we got back to our hotel, Rich's pedometer measured almost 8 miles. It was time for a short rest before heading out later in the evening for dinner.