Istanbul

We just returned from an incredible trip to Istanbul, Turkey.  I had been once before on a daytrip 15 years ago, and Rob had never been so we were anxious to head out for a long weekend.  (Rob was speaking at a conference there during the week.)  The city truly is the crossroads between East and West.  The influence of Islam is everyone -- calls to prayer from minarets interrupt the bustling city-dwellers.  But the influence of old Christianity is also unmistakable.  The Hagia Sophia is a fascinating building, steeped in Christian and Islamic symbolism.  Just across from it, the Blue Mosque is another interesting building.  Because it is a working mosque, I had to cover my head, which is something I haven't done for awhile.  I had a Muslim friend in Nyon who made the conscious choice to become more religious and started covering her head.  She told me that hair was too beautiful and not modest to show to everyone.  It is interesting to think of hair as being an aspect of modesty.  What a different world ours would be if we all thought that way. 

Topkapi palace was also quite interesting to see -- especially the harem.  It is horrific to imagine that the Ottomans kept hundreds of concubines (many of them captured Christian women) for their pleasure and posterity.

We took some beautiful photos while in Istanbul, but they are all on Rob's phone so I will have to upload later.

Tyler was not happy with the Turkish hat we brought him, until we convinced him that it was a soldier's hat and let him wear it with his sword.  My parents brought home the exact same hat 30 years ago when they visited Turkey!  Not much has changed!

Natasha loves her Turkish princess slippers.