Istanbul experience

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We left the Grand Sakarya Hotel on Sunday morning and travelled with the U.S. team into Istanbul about 3hrs by bus,It was quite the experience for the bus driver manouvering around the very narrow streets. At one point we came around a corner and were faced with an on coming bus in which the honking and yelling between drivers began, What a show!Once we got to the Hotel we discovered we were not staying in the same hotel as the U.S. team so we had to get taxied to another Best Western right on the Ocean for a great price. What luck.
We'got settled in and began to walk up the hill to the main area for sights. I was completely blown away by the architecture and the amazing sense that you are standing in a place with such historical significance. The ancient cityof Constantinople. The Blue mosque was unbelievable from the outside and due to time we never got inside. we wandered our way down to the water again and found ourselves in a very poor area which made me a bit uneasy. There is such hardship that you really can't relate to until you see it close up for yourself. But the people are friendly and seem accepting as we walk through their neighbourhoods absorbing it all in. sensory overload!!
When we hit the beach with it being Sunday it was family day at the park. Which is a custom for most everyone. There was thousands upon thousands of people ,swimming and they all were cooking meats and fish in little firepits. The seawall was lined with men fishing for their meal as the women were tending to the children. The children were playing games of shoot the balloon with a pellet gun as other kids swim around on inflatable inner tubes. Safety is not a part of the culture.
We made it back to our hotel and booked a dinner theatre at a traditional turkish belly dancing restaurant. there was men dancing in costumes and music and belly dancing. It was quite the show. the food was plentiful but of mediocre quality. There was people from all over the world at this show. A bit of a tourist trap but none the less entertaining
Go to go shopping
take care

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