Faculty leaders go to Istanbul on their own

With most of the students away, a trip to Istanbul seemed like a good change of pace. It was fun and exciting, and the first time I had spent in a predominantly Islamic country. The mosques are very beautiful, and I've included some pictures below. I would highly recommend a trip to Istanbul to anyone who is thinking about going.

Here are some of my experiences, broken down into:

The Good

Beautiful mosques
Great food (seafood, baklava, mezzas (Turkish appetizers))
Vibrant economy with busy shipping industry
Markets like the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market
Turkish baths (called Hamams)
Turkish kindness
Turkish coffee (thick and rich and velvety)

The Bad

Coffee that is WAY overpriced ($5 for a cappucino) :(
Meals that are surprisingly pricey, especially for what you get.
Rudeness towards strangers (I've been to many parts of world, and this isn't anything unique to Turkey)
Strangers who come up to you to talk. Later, you find out it's only because they own a carpet shop and want to try to sell you something.

The interesting factoids

Turks seem to like roasted foods, especially roasted corn and chestnuts, both of which they buy from street vendors.
The call to prayer is broadcast from various mosques around the city, with the first one normally starting around 6 a.m. This will wake you up if you live near it.
Turkish massages are relaxing, but quite painful. I can attest to that personally! :)

A spice vendor's table in the Spice Bazaar


The Blue Mosque - the most important mosque in Istanbul


There are stray cats all over Istanbul. Here's a cutie-pie I spotted near the Archeological Museum.


Mosaic work at Aya Sofia, a former Christian church converted to a mosque.

I love looking at wall tile, and the Harem at the Topkapi Palace has some excellent pieces.

From the Asian side of the Bosphorus Strait, looking north towards the Black Sea.

Some high-priced real estate along the water.