A comforting call home

I have made it a full 7 days with my new family and I feel like I am adjusting well. I was able to call home today and could hear the excitement in my moms voice. It was comforting hearing a familiar voice so far from home. This is the first time leaving my parents nest, as I lived at home during college and at their beach house for summers, and this is also the farthest I have been away from them. All of my past distant travels have been with my mom. She taught me well with street and travel smarts and I have felt very comfortable out and about so far, thanks mom!

We walked around the old city of Istanbul today and went to the Basilica Cistern Yerbatan Sarnici which is an underground water storage. I wasn't sure what to expect and especially wasn't expecting to feel like I was in an underground cave. The most exciting part of this event was the Medusa carving in one of the pillars in the far back corner. She was upside down so no one was able to look her directly in the eyes. It was the most crowded part of the exhibit, a lady used my shoulder as a hand rail going down the crowded stars, mostly because it was the only thing to really see. After making it out of the cave we had ice cream from a street vendor as our snack today and I was very happy about that (see daily photo).

I am a big fan of street markets and was excited to visit the spice market here in Istanbul. It consisted of a few alleys that had both street vendors and shops that you could go in, tons of people crowded the walk way and stalls and we walked through very quickly. I think I heard a lady call to us and say, "let me help you spend your money maybe" but Theo heard "Yankee" which made it more funny and probable.

Before heading back to the hotel we had fish sandwiches from hibachi style food boats. I was hungry and ate the sandwich, bones and all, but I can't say I would not choose to eat one of those again.