Is the Turkey in Me or Am I in the Turkey?

Topkapi Palace

Sultanahmet Mosque

Many cats in Istanbul

It's Thanksgiving and we had a feast of fava beans, cooked artichokes, marinated mushrooms, and dolma from a neighboorhood deli near the apartment where we are staying. We turned the corner after visiting the deli only to see a large goose being fed small fish by a shop owner. This neighborhood had no car traffic, fortunately.

Today, we visited Topkapi Palace which includes the HAREM! The entrace fee was 10 Turkish Lira and then they slap you with another 10 YTL since they know you want to see the forbidden chambers of the harem. We learned that women could enter freely but once inside, they could never leave. The violence of the harem occurred primarily between the women, fighting for power within the harem hierarchy.

Then, we visited the Istanbul Modern to learn about the making of the Turkish Republic through photography and painting. Our favorite piece was a huge reproduction of a million lira note showing Ataturk with his eyes covered by his hands, symbolizing his disbelief at the devaluation of the currency.