Three days after the wedding we arrive in Boston Logan for our great adventure. Unfortunately, our flight was delayed and we missed our connection to Istanbul. We were stranded in Chicago for 24 hours courtesy of United Airlines. We didn't mind this so much because we got to eat a Chicago style pizza:
Yum. So, after a few pounds of cheese and meat, we fly to Istanbul.
We go from this:
To this:
In 24 hours.
It actually wasn't too much of a culture shock. What was a shock was how expensive Istanbul has become. A lunch at a tourist trap cost us $44. We didn't make that mistake twice. Kebap stands are delicious, and cheap!
We saw lots of things in Istanbul, like the Topkapı Palace, the imperial palace of the Ottoman Sultans. We didn't like it too much.
Nice gate, jackass.
they did have a pretty cool view though
and some huge beds
and some cool ceilings
The Sultans also had a lot of ridiculously gaudy things that we weren't allowed to photograph. Rather than awe I was just struck with the waste of it all. They had such an empire filled with so many rich and varied lands and people and all that energy and wealth went into ridiculous things like ruby encrusted oil lamps and gold filigree pendants that they wore once before locking them up in their royal treasury. All the empire's wealth went into this crap when it should have gone into things like roads, railroads and universities.
Did I mention it cost $13.33 per person to enter?
Gross gross gross
It makes you realize that Turkey is much better off now without the Ottomans and without a Sultan. Perhaps that's why they keep this crap around..?
That is all for today. I'll post more in a day or two.
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