STREET FOOD... ISTANBUL

SLE (Steph) suggested I try pomegranate juice from a street vendor!

Oh my, it was delicious! a bit thick, with some pulp. It was very refreshing!

roasted corn (on the cob)!

we observed children eating this as a snack!

round bagel-like breads with sesame seeds on top!

an example of  a street vendor selling pomegranate juice.

Some people like a bit of orange juice added to sweeten the rich, red juice.

The vendors cut the fruit in half & squeeze the juice into a cup.

We watched this woman roll out a thin bread (similar to a flour tortilla)...

she added spinach & cheese then folded it in half!

(JPE also had her add potato to his sandwich)

she plopped it on the warm grill until the cheese got warm & melty!

yummy!

(yep! we looked like tourists with our cameras around our necks!)

GRAB YOUR FISHING POLE...

view from the breakfast room - AZADE HOTEL, Istanbul

why are all these boats in one area?

the fisherman are ALL fishing for bonita...

seems like it could be pretty competitive with everyone trying to catch the same fish??

tossing his line out!

The once abundant native fish are becoming scare (due to large fishing boats);
so fisherman have been known to become territorial about their fishing spots...
yelling at others who scare their fish away (or are trying to fish in the same area).

the Fish Market is still alive in the evening!

Do you suppose the fish go on sale as the evening gets later?

along the waterfront are boats that cook the day's catch &
sell it wrapped in a pita-type bread!

assembly-line for the dockside fish!

a typical fast food meal!

BUNU (means THIS ONE)!!!

PICTURE HEAVY post!

we woke up at 4am & couldn't go back to sleep!

Stick close!

we'll never be able to find each other if we get separated!

doesn't every tourist spot have t-shirts for sale?

cars, buses & trams WILL NOT stop for pedestrians!

so, you can imagine taxi rides can be hilarious!

Actually, our taxi driver from the airport to our hotel was

a sweet little Turk w/a gentle soul

(& spoke just enough English to point out some sights)

wanna buy some dried eggplant?

yep! next to the delicious pomegranate tea is something for the GUYS!

a quick turn down this street!

in the market for a LAMP?

a pretty little shop!

purchased a "kese" (washcloth) for each of us to take to the Turkish Bathhouse!

Halloween costume?

for me? ummm... perhaps 40 years ago I might have tried this on?

wandered back to the center!

NOW, this is more interesting! a fabric store...

and dozens of stalls selling buttons!

how do these men stay in business? they all sell the same stuff...
 (only men work in the bazaar) 

when Steph & Allie were young, I sewed a cute, little dress that had similar purple buttons...

shopping was exhausting! we headed outside...

of course, JPE found the book stalls!

for Lydia, Derek, Katie & Matthew...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid...

in Turkish!

exited the Grand Bazaar...

for tea & a spinach-filled phyllo dough "goodie"

AHHHH! the adventure(s) of shopping mall!

my FIT-BIT recorded 15,191 steps today!