Simpson Prize has arrived
Merhaba - after a marathon plane flight we made it. Istanbul is awesome – huge, fast- paced, chaotic and full of people. A cruise on the Bosphorus was a great way to experience the city from the relative calm of our boat. We saw many palaces and mosques, and noted that nearly everything has a Turkish flag. Amazing houses right on the water, just like the OC but older and more expensive. We also cruised Istiklal St, just down from the hotel, and managed to avoid getting run over by trams, cars, bikes and pedestrians – quite an achievement. Of course there are lots of locals keen to sell you everything from watches to postcards, tissues to jewelry. But we resisted the temptation for any great splurge, to save ourselves for the Grand Bizarre visit later in the trip.