okay I have to say this was one of my favorites...this is the Turkish tow truck, it is pretty much the most amazing invention! This is how it works....it pulls up besides the car...these little fork lifts come out it picks it up and then puts it on the platform...and it is gone in 5 min haha people dont even know what hit them!
Now im not sure why but Turkish cabbages are like the size of watermelons, its ridiculous. I bought one for dinner one night and used about an 8th of it and it fed a family of 5!
This was just scary.... the suicide lane, its just a big free for all
ha ha "NO TRUMPETING" this one is for you JoAnne! These were all over the place....funny looking horn...guess they dont like honking :)
I would have to say one of my favorite sites I saw in Istanbul was the Basilica Cistern.... its all underground and there are hundreds of columns rising up from pools of water...They have red lights illuminating each column and it is absolutely beautiful and so amazing that something like this was built underground and so long ago....it was unreal!!
so beautiful!
Austin looking creepy
Okay so this was our National Treasure moment....So there are these two columns in the Basilica that have Medusas head at the bottom of them. They are the only two columns like that out of the hundreds...one of the heads is straight and the other one is tilted on its side...No one knows why and they are facing these strange ways. Researchers have said it is only for the sole purpose of being bases to these columns but their opinions are not enough and still people wonder to this day.... SO after some thought and consideration on our part we have come to the conclusion that it is part of a map describing a code, and that the Medusa heads are leading us to a secret passage way that will unlock a hidden Turkish treasure....ha ha so THERE... we have unlocked the hidden mystery of thousands of years in our short tour...but needless to say we did not follow through and continue our destined path of uncovering treasure and went to see the rest of Istanbul...we will leave it for someone else :)
The mysterious heads....
Okay and also.... look at THIS column... this was the ONLY column that had this design on it...WHY? we are not sure we didnt come up with a theory on this one...but it is very I..n..t..e..r..e..s...t..i..n..g.........if you have any theories please share!
ha ha so there it is our adventure underground! And it was my favorite!! If you ever go to Istanbul (which I would highly recommend) you must visit this place it is totally magical
I seriously LOVE Turkey! We lived in Istanbul for about a month with the most AMAZING family....we got to see and experience so much while we were there it was so much fun :) The people, the beauty, the food, and all of the experiences have been some of my favorite memories so far....It is just such a spectacular country
so (I am a little behind...but) here are pieces of Istanbul...hope they help you to love it too!
This is one of my favorite pictures...this was at sunset and me and Austin were walking home, we stopped on this hill to look at the view and it was so amazing...
First and most Importantly....THE FOOD!
wow the food was unreal....seriously unreal! (this was me and Austins favorite meal ever)
this was apple tea...so yummy its like drinking an Apple Jolly Rancher....and Baklava the most delicious treat
more delicious things we ate...
yum. Turkish Pizza!
Next....are the fantastic Markets....So much to see AND buy :) There is the Spice Market...and then the Grand Bazaar, I loved them both
Austin feeling right at home with a bunch of other fruits ha ha...(that was for you Dirk)
I bought a bunch of these bowls....I just couldn't resist they were so neat
this guy is selling Simits...they are really really tasty, and they sell them EVERYWHERE
I have always wanted to go to Israel and especially Jerusalem, there are so many wonderful things to see and to just think of all of the miracles that happened there...it is so exciting. Unfortunately we were only there for a couple days....but what we got to see is so memorable to me!
Well one of the first sites we saw was the Weeping Wall...I guess I never knew of the significance of this wall to the Jewish Faith till I got there and was able to see the reaction people had to it and got to learn of its history... it was really interesting. The wall is separated into a men's and woman's side. When I went up to the wall it was swarmed with people, woman were crying, and others were praying. It was really cool to see.
this is the men's side....
Next I must talk about the markets.Lots to see AND eat!So we had to stop off for some good ole Falafel….YUM! I don’t think I can ever get sick of Falafel.
And next the shops, so neat and so much fun stuff….I loved all of these crazy jars and pots and vases!
I also bought our first Nativity scene there (I'm sad I didn’t take a picture of it before I shipped it back home) but it is seriously so amazing I love it.
this shop was absolute chaos....
This building was in the market and I just loved it….don't you just love Mosaics?
I have to say one really weird thing is all of these 18 year olds walking around EVERYWHERE with these semi automatic riffles.....ha ha so many girls too....it was kind of strange.
Now I saved the best for last….. The Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden Tomb.
The Garden of Gethsemane was so amazing, so beautiful I loved it!The trees there were so unusual.... It was just amazing to be able to picture what it might have looked and been like. The Garden is right under the mount of Olives where there are hundreds of olive trees....
the view from the top of the mount of olives
The Garden Tomb was so amazing, all of it is just how I pictured it would be...
the entrance
The tomb....you could go inside
after you look at the tomb you walk through a small garden and then you are at Golgotha
its weird cause right underneath Golgotha is a bus station....but it still doesn't take away from the meaning and what happened there.
I loved Israel and hope to go back again some day :)
