Jumping back a few days

Time for one more post from Istanbul. I still have pictures to post of the trip, so even when I'm home again I plan on working through my digital shoebox of photos so that more end up in this scrapbook.
Using local transport means taking a Turkish Taksi (taxi) at some point. Last week we all took the plunge. Oh, how I wish I'd taken some video footage of our ride to see the Chora Museum!! Our driver assured us of his 20 years of experience on the streets of Istanbul, never mind that he took us to the Commodore (or some such name) Hotel first. Small error. Eventually our group of four joined other small groups dropped by their drivers at, or near, the entrance. Even with a stop at the wrong place, Ken, Ashlee, Hew and I were not the last ones there. Once everyone arrived, touring the Byzantine church meant looking up almost continually. While the mosaics were painted over when the building was used for a mosque, many have been beautifully restored. After the museum, Ken and I went to the land wall with most of the students. We passed the gate that Sultan Mahmet entered when he conquered Constantinople in 1453. Finding a breach in the wall, we climbed through. The students also climbed to the top of a tower. I happily took pictures from below. Rounding out a wonderful day in the city, we sat down to feast on a history lesson by dining at the Asitane Restaurant. Many dishes on the menu include a year referencing the date of a document in which the Ottoman recipe was recorded or described. You MUST eat here if you visit Istanbul. Make time for it when you tour Chora as it is right next door. The food in Istanbul makes me SO happy, but my Asitane meal was a taste of heaven.