Istanbul, Turkey

Turkey is a big country with mediocre roads, so we decided to fly from Izmir (near Pamukkale) to Istanbul. Nothing special about the flight or arrival at our hotel. Upon getting settled in our hotel we set about for a dinning experience which is exactly what we got. At the concierge's suggestion we went to a restaurant nearby which features belly dancers. We were seated near the dance floor with your blogger nearest the dance floor. I'm sure you already know where this is headed. The first belly dancer wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing (she was a butterface), but what she lacked in looks she made up for with stage presence. Towards the end of her routine she decided to get the audience participating so she pulls me up on stage. She told me to just follow her moves. Now I'll admit, I'm no Kevin Federline, but anyone that has been at a wedding with me knows that I have some killer moves; the shopping cart, sprinkler, modified worm and lawnmower to name a few. Unfortunately, these moves aren't traditional belly dance material so I was completely at her mercy. I was wiggling my belly pretty well and keeping up with her. Then she dropped to the floor over her knees, like in a limbo. I painfully followed suit. We got up and then she pinched my cheek, I followed her and pinched her cheek. Then she grabbed my butt, I grabbed her butt. Then she pinched my nipple, I pinched her nipple. Yes, I pinched a belly dancer's nipple in front of my wife and in-laws. The belly dancer acted surprised and then started more belly dancing, which I followed. The belly dancer then ended the performance by asking for a kiss on the cheek, which I obliged. Then the belly dancer asked for a kiss in between her breast. At that point I threw in the towel and said no. She thanked me and I walked off the stage to an applause. Lara and her parents all said I did well and they weren't upset that I pinched the belly dancer's nipple. But come on, what kind of in-laws would get upset seeing their son-in-law pinch a dancer's nipple in front of them?

The next morning we tackled Istanbul. We started by visiting Topkapi Palace. Topkapi Palace is a sprawling palace with great museums and views of the city. We explored the palace for a few hours and had a good time. We hit up the Grand Bazaar after Topkapi Palace. The Grand Bazaar is a massive, enclosed bazaar with hundreds of stores. Like most bazaars, there were hundreds of shops, but only a few different stores. Even with the repetition it was definitely an incredible experience.

In our second full day in Istanbul we hit up the big sites. First thing in the morning (11am) we headed for the Hagia Sophia. At the Hagia Sophia we hired a guide who gave us a great tour of the Hagie Sophia. It's definitely a place with deep history and we really enjoyed the tour. After the Hagia Sophia we walked across the courtyard to the Sultanahmet Mosque, aka the Blue Mosque. The Blus Mosque is Istabul's most notable landmark. It's a huge, blue covered mosque with tall Minarets. It's truly a sight.

With another check mark on the '1000 places to see before you die' list we headed back to the hotel. On the way back we walked along Istanbul's contemporary shopping street which was pretty cool. We used Istanbul's light-rail to get around as well as a funicular. Even though I've now been on two of Istanbul's funiculars I still don't know what they are.

Early the next morning the Foresmans left and we said our goodbyes. A few hours later we bid Turkey adieu and headed out for India.