Istanbul, Turkey

New mosque, Eminunu-bridge fishing

Boat taxi with Mounaim

One of many mosques seen from boat taxi

Local graffitti

Egyptian bizzare, Eminunu

Boat taxi

Fish market, Karakoy

Eminunu dock 

Topaki Palace, Serkeegee

Galata Tower, Karakoy

New Mosque, Eminunu

Inside Blue Mosque, Eminunu

From Galata Tower-overlooking city, Karakoy

New mosque view from dock

Famous Blue Mosque, Eminunu

Hagia Sofia Plan

Outside Hagia Sofia

Youth Hostel

Eating Shwarma-donner

Community volunteer Project building near hostel

Turkish delight, Grand Bizzare, Eminunu

From boat taxi

Feeding the gulls

Local costume antique shop, Taksim Square

Taksim square trolley

Taxsim square local musician 

It was a much needed break to finally visit Istanbul, Turkey. We walked and discovered a lot between the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, castles, palaces, shopping, boat rides, eating new delicious foods and meeting new people. It was great to have a travel companion and share the experience. As protests were happening due to the death of a young boy who was killed by a tear gas canister last year during protests, locals were banging on their pots and pans blowing whistles and hitting the metal window grates of their homes while the smell of tear gas was bothering my eyes and throat, parades of police in full uniform scour the streets for protesters who broke glass at the banks, we watched from our hostel window peeking in awe of what was happening...This will be my last adventure abroad for awhile.