Istanbul: The Final Days

I've finally gotten to the final post of our Istanbul trip.  We wrapped up week with a visit to Topkapi Palace, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, and a Bosphorus Cruise, of which I have way too many pictures to post them all.

We enjoyed coffee outside the Archaeological Museum before checking it out.  I didn't take many pictures inside, but we saw some pretty incredible (and old) stuff!

View from Topkapi Palace

Usually I prefer transitional or somewhat bohemian styles, but I've decided I could also adopt a Turkish Palace style.  Complete with gold-plated and jewel-encrusted everything.

It was prime time for the tulips at Topkapi Palace.

We chose a day cruise down the Bosphorus rather than going for a shorter experience.  This one wasn't guided, but with our Rick Steve's guidebook, we learned a lot about the sights along the way.

The ship stopped in a small fishing village on the Asian side of Turkey, where tons of restaurant owners were eager to get our business.  We enjoyed a seafood feast and drinks on the third floor of a sea-side restaurant.

Little red fish for dinner.  Pretty tasty.  Very creepy.

I'm so glad we got to see Istanbul this year, especially with all the turmoil that seems to be developing these days.  What a different place it may be should we return in the future.

Have a great week, everyone!