Istanbul

The view from our room of Ciragan Palace

Last day of summer vacation in one of the great cities...

Oh how I love this town. Each time, we are here for only a few days- and alas, we only barely scratch the surface. Did the usual touring of the big mosques, the maritime museum, and some shopping. Istanbul is a feast for anyone - history buffs, shopping fanatics, foodies, shipping nerds. Yesterday was of course CABs birthday and I thought of how he would have loved to wallow in Byzantine and Ottoman history; to hear the calls to prayer; then to retreat with a cool drink and look at boats. 

The traffic has become so onerous that we have turned to the tram (excellent) and get this- T found Uber Boat - uber for boats.. We called; two guys came who spoke very little English, and took us to a very nice restaurant on the water for lunch. When I heard of the scheme, of course my first thought was: YES let's take a Turkish boast with unfamiliar captain into the choppy Bosphorus and dodge enormous container ships. Taxis with air conditioning and seatbelt are so dull. But I kept mum, and it was great. 

See photo of us meeting the boat below, along photo of Frederick, and me in bathrobe lounging by the "sea" after we retired for the day. 

Highlights of summer: F says Queen Mary; I say gazing on my back at that staggering meteor shower one night on the Vaimiti.  Thomas says Portugal- just the ordinary days. 

I think we are ok-ok about Exeter, ok about the future being so full of changes, ok about summer ending; really ok about seeing you guys and Albert. :) 

We are all dying to see that silly dog. 

Vacations are always the time when I think of ways I want to change my life slightly: add more, subtract some, pay more attention to my important people; pay less attention to the others; learn how to make pasta alla Norma, learn some Arabic, organize the storage room. 

I never do any of those things but I love making the lists. 

But the fact remains we are in for a whole lot of freedom thomas and I. Thomas for example wants to sail to Hawaii and I will have three weeks to do anything...just imagine.

Now who wants to go to India with me?  

Soon 

hugs 

you 

xxx