Everything came in intact except the salad bowl which broke irreparably into a million pieces and even though I tried to glue it back, the glue wouldnt hold! Rest in peace dear bowl!

Leaving for home today! Went to Grand Bazaar to buy a salad bowl that eventually broke in the suitcase! Bought a carpet for Josh - Small but hand woven; Mat bought himself a leather jacket and had to purchase a luggage bag to fit in all our stuff. Asta-la-vista Istanbul!

A light day once again. Manar has been drinking and living on milk only! Now I dont even try to feed her. Mat went to the Asian side, while Manar had her nap. We spent the day shopping and hanging around the Spice Bazar and letting Manar roam around the Yeni Camii Mosque Square. Dinner at a restaurant with a Dervish show and home.

Capadoccia took its toll on us! We all woke up today at 930am, Manar inclusive, and she was still sleepy. I decided to give her a rest and Manar and myself stayed in the hotel for her to nap. Our first sight today was the Galata Tower. Following a 45 degrees walk uphill we finally arrived at our destination. The view from the Tower was truly ( Read more... )

A day trip to Capadoccia - the most hectic day trip ever all the more complicated with a toddler and a protruding belly! Our day started at 530 am and we reached Capadoccia by Air at 9 am. There were identity issues and us being left in the wrpng place and the wrong couple being sent to our tour company etc etc. Finally at 10 am we started our ( Read more... )

A light day of sight-seeing given the next day we all have to be up and ready by 530 am to go to Capaddocia. A boat ride on the Bosphorus, followed by a trip up the Pierre Loti hill, for a bird's eye view of the Golden Horn ( Read more... )

It was the Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar today ( Read more... )

Surprisingly, today we actually managed to get out of the hotel by 1130 am! Aya Sofya - our first milestone for the day. Undoubtedly a masterpiece in its days, I somehow lacked the sense of history as I walked through the hall. It felt new and touched up. The long hanging chandeliers looked amazingly fit in its Byzantine surroundings, creating a ( Read more... )

And we have finally arrived at Istanbul! Subsequent to a harrowing 2 days of preparation, a rare closure of the Piccadilly, a last minute taxi call, a half an hour wait in queue for baggage drop - though we were already checked in, luggage claim delay of more than an hour and my daughter's cantankerous episodes in the plane - we are at last in the ( Read more... )

After a busy and cranky weekend Manar is back to her usual routine... she is growing more and more inquisitive about life around her... but she is back to sitting on her chair without a fuss... Her new development is she is learning to grab things namely her bouncer toys.