Today is our second “touristic” day: we’ll go to Topkapi palace. But before that, we head to the bakery to buy buns. It’s our daily morning routine. The thing is though, we still can’t figure out how much they cost. The price changes everyday. Yesterday, it was 5TL more expensive than expected. Today, it’s the opposite way around. They must have their value set by the Turkish stock exchange or something. Maybe people ask their baker for financial placement advices here… That wouldn’t actually be too surprising since we see very odd store associations in Istanbul you know. There are laundry tailors (not the most far fetched we admit), jewelry pasteries (really, a store where you can buy baklavas and jewelry… very practical for weddings), and our favorite one: tatoo piercers hairdressers. In that light, a trader baker would actually make sense…
So, our feelings about Topkapi? Mixed. It’s beautiful but it’s not that great. There are a lot of people. You have to make your way through the crowds and through women taking pictures for their Instagram with the 2022 pose (you know arms stretched accross a door entrance…). Oh! But Côme tamed a lion.
For lunch, we’re eating halal hot dogs from a stall. It’s by far the worst meal of the trip so far. Can you imagine a soggy loaf of bread with mayo and ketchup (and I’m talking about the taste and texture of the sausage here not even the bread)? Well, that’s about it… Then we’re on our way to the old cisterns. There is a light and sound projection there. It’s kinda nice if you have never seen one, but it was way too short (10 minutes) and since we had seen a beautiful one in the caves of Baux de Provence on Gaudi and Dali, we were not that impressed.
Late afternoon was better than the rest of the day. We ate pomegranate loukoums that were excellent and returned to the park where Côme had a great time with other kids and Doo chatted with Dohan, a kid that we had met previously and told us more about schooling here.
Today, Côme:
Did not understand: why Doo’s phone fell from his (Côme) hands whereas he was holding it tight.
Learnt: gigantic swords existed.
Laughed: on the tourniquet while turning really fast.
Julia:
Did not understand: how the hell the hot dog seller has not closed shop yet?
Learnt: that children are not obliged to go to school in Turkey.
Enjoyed: the pomegranate loukoum.
Doo:
Did not understand: why the price of the buns fluctuated.
Learnt: that it was way more expensive to be clean than to eat in Istanbul (today was laundry day).
Liked: that Dohan came back to say hello and chat.
Laughed: at a van that was forced to shut its blasting music so that its ridiculous honk could be heard.