Tasting our way through Istanbul

Woke up at 1:30 this morning. Hopefully my sleep schedule will adjust in a few days. “Call to Prayer” — accompanied by dogs barking —at 5:30 am. Sunrise at 6:30 so I crossed the street at the traffic signal and started walking on Kennedy Caddesi, a boulevard that follows the shoreline for 13 miles. Shoreline covered with large black rocks, a few people fishing or sitting in conversation groups, walkers and runners. 4,000 steps to start the day.

Coffee and a croissant in the dining room, saving room for the Food Tour samplings. Taxi ride to the. Old Town coffee shop where we were to meet our guide. Slight detour to struggle with an ATM, more success with a Doviz or money-changer.

On the way back to the coffee shop, we stopped in a touristy souvenir shop. A friendly gentleman gave us each a gift of a small evil eye pin. It worked as we had a wonderful food tour.

Our guide was twenty-something and full of Information about food from all parts of Turkey. There were eight of us on the tour — two from Washington DC area, two from Toronto creating videos for Instagram, one New Zealander, and one Australian. Good group with lots of conversations during the day.

We started in the Egyptian spice market buying some food for breakfast and ended six hours later with ice cream and baklava on the Asian side of Istanbul. On either side of the ferry ride we walked, tasted, walked, tasted… and repeat. See this website for descriptions of the food.
https://yummyistanbul.com/3093-2

The ferry took us back to Europe and the MapsMe app.directed us back to our hotel. Unfortunately it chose a long way for us to walk —,through winding

streets, along the tram tracks, up a giant very steep hill and back down to the sea and our hotel. But we made it and I logged 21,500 steps for the day.

The outdoor section of the hotel bar/restaurant was a perfect location to enjoy sunset over the sea, beer and appetizers. Then upstairs and bed by 9:30 pm.