Istanbul – Day 07

The day starts with grocery shopping. There is a fruit and vegetable store and a bakery right underneath the appartment. 46TL later, we bring back 3 buns and a pack of chocolate milk for breakfast as well as a giant broccoli, plums and cherry tomatoes. Food is really cheap in Istanbul. Then we decide to go back to the old town to take another look at the Grand Bazaar and the bookstore corner. We really like it better there. Here it’s too modern.

So we wander the streets and alleys, lulled by the stories of Groin and Meuh. We haven’t introduced those two to you yet but they are part of our family. They are Côme’s puppets. A nutty-daredevil pig and a slightly fearful cow. He prefered to leave them back home because he was afraid to lose them but we are sure they’ll end up joining us on our trip. In the meantime, Côme constantly thinks about them and wants us to tell their stories (to the great despair of Doo who has to voice them). So we imagine their adventures to join us.

After this bit of wandering, we go to a new mosque, the Souleyman mosque. And there, we’re really impressed. It’s magnificent!! So we decide to unwind there and admire the ceilings. We are fully enjoying this peaceful moment when a group of Russian tourists swarms around us with a loud guide explaining in every minute detail the history of the mosque. So after a good fifteen minutes, the herd transhumes at last and we are left thinking that we will finally be able to enjoy a quiet moment. One minute passes and another herd appears… Honestly, tour operators suck!!!

Then we decide to cross the Bosphore bridge on foot to take a look at the fishermen (“Doo?! Can I fish too?” – “No Côme.” – “Why not?” – “The fishermen will surely be afraid you drop their fishing rod into the river, they don’t know you can fish too.”). Still, the moment is magical for Côme who stops at every pot containing the “freshly” fished fishes. We have never seen him walk that fast and with that much energy. He’s a good 5 meters ahead of us and amuses some fishermen who let him hold their fishes in his hands. And there! His wish becomes true. A very nice fisherman lends him his fishing rod. Côme is delighted and fishes a very small fish that he throws back into the Bosphore.

Tomorrow we fly. Next step: Dubaï.

Today, Côme:
Did not understand: why the smallest boy on the bridge fished the biggest fish.
Learnt: that one uses a microscope to look at the very tiny and a telescope to look at the very big.
Loved: (Do we even have to say it?) fishing in the Bosphore.

Julia:
Did not understand: where do the women buy their djellabas.
Learnt: that the fishermen used several hooks on their line.
Enjoyed: witnessing the rescue of a gluttonous seagul caught on a fishing hook.

Doo:
Did not understand: why some women reported him for using the women’s bathroom whereas he was accompanying Côme.
Learnt: how the fishermen could fish on the bridge (they were located on a part where the boats couldn’t go through and were using very heavy sinkers).
Loved: the ceilings of the mosque.