Istanbul: The First Days

We spent the first couple of days in Istanbul going full force.  We woke up early, walked everywhere, visited several "must see" spots, and stayed out late to explore the nightlife.  

Our first stop was the Galata Tower... right outside our apartment.  It's got a fantastic view of the city if you ride the elevator to the top.  

We realized right away why April has to be one of the best times of the year to visit Istanbul.  The weather is pretty much perfect (albeit a little unpredictable at times... it is spring, after all), but the tourist season hasn't hit yet.  Any major sites were line-free, and besides some European tourists, there weren't a large number of vacationers around.  

We soon headed for the "Old City", across the Galata Bridge.  Prime location for fishermen, apparently.  The bridge was forever lined with them.

We ate lunch at sidewalk cafes, or grabbed kebabs on the run.  Kebabs are the ultimate street-food in Istanbul.  Large pieces of meat stacked on a long skewer are roasted, then thin layers are shaved off for the gyro-style sandwiches.  Some places also had vegetarian options for moi :) You may remember me mentioning that our place was above a kebab restaurant.  Devine.

Below, Will's enjoying one of many kebabs to be had on the trip.  I'm having lentil soup- another Turkish favorite- and fresh squeezed orange juice.  Everyone and their uncle sells fresh squeezed juice (with any fruit you could imagine) for 1-2 Turkish Lira... the equivalent of 60 cents to a dollar twenty.  Darn good bargain, if you ask me!  They usually make it right in front of you with a monster-sized juicer.

It was common for us to head back to the apartment for a mid-afternoon nap before dinner :)  What a life, right?!

The evenings were usually spent just a few blocks from our apartment on and around Istiklal Cadessi, the main drag in this part of town.  The side streets are hoppin' with bars and restaurants that are open as late as you'd like to be out.  Well, at least as late as we liked to be out :)

After dinner one evening, we headed to the square just below our apartment, which is apparently the hang-out for the boho crowd on the weekend.  Every person had a friend to laugh with and a drink in hand, making for a laid-back night cap.

The relaxing mood in these pictures is making me nostalgic already... 

Happy almost-weekend, friends!