During the October break, my newly engaged pal Natalie came to visit and travel around Turkey and part of Greece together. We had an awesome time traveling (and shopping!) together. Turns out we are excellent travel partners and hopefully we will have more trips together in the future :)
We started out in Istanbul, where I met Natalie at our hotel in Sultanahmet, the ancient city center. Right away I knew Natalie was going to love Turkey when she immediately began checking out the wares in the shops and getting top-notch treatment and hospitality from the Turkish shop owners. I really loved it when she asked if it was normal for the shop owners to offer you tea when you enter their shops....you don't have to be in Turkey very long to catch on to the fact that these people love their tea!
We spent our first day in Istanbul at Topkapi Palace (the first Ottoman royal compound) and at the Grand Bazaar. This is my third time at the Palace, but it never gets boring to visit and see all of the Ottoman treasures on display. This was the first time I had ever checked out the Harem section, where the Sultan, his mother, many wives, and children lived.
 |
| Must be where the Sultan checked out his outfits before leaving the harem...? |
 |
| Plaza in the harem, with the living units facing the center |
 |
| Natalie in the Sultan's bedroom |
 |
| Ornate mosaics and sinks in the harem |
Next up was the Grand Bazaar. Many gifts and Turkish handicrafts were purchased here, as well as teas and Turkish coffees consumed.
 |
| Shopping with snacks and a place to sit? Yes please! |
The next day we checked out one of the oldest hamams, or Turkish baths, in Istanbul. We also went to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. That evening we relaxed on a Bosphorus dinner cruise with a friend from Tarsus, Donna. What began as a nice evening on the Bosphorus quickly escalated into an all out dance party with everyone on the boat. When in Turkey, I guess... :)
 |
| Cool views of the bridge lit up on the upper deck of the boat.. |
 |
| Dancing machines down below! |
The next morning we left Istanbul and flew down to the southwestern coastal town of Marmaris. Within twenty minutes of checking into our hotel, we parked ourselves immediately on the beach and enjoyed the Mediterranean sun and landscape....
 |
| View from our hotel window |
There's not really that much to say about our time in Marmaris, except we loved the beach and we were completely bombarded by all of the Turkish men trying to get us to eat in their restaurants. We were only there for a night before we caught the ferry to Rhodes, Greece. Pictures and recap from Rhodes will be in the next post!
