Istanbul and Zurich!

I got to visit Istanbul, Turkey, during my Spring break (after visiting Mom) with a good friend from my school! We stayed in a very nice hotel and got to experience some neat things.

Being in a Muslim country was interesting. There is a lot of poverty and depression, but also a spiritual oppression. I’m so grateful we got to visit because most of the world lives in poverty, like what we saw, but I never have!

This building (this picture and the following are just tiny glimpses of the church) was completed in 537 A.D. Yes, it’s old! :o) It was awesome being inside and realizing that so many people have worshiped in and visited it for over 1400 years!!! Many of the mosaics I have seen in textbooks from high school!

One of my favorite things we did was take a boat trip along the Bosphorus River. It’s the river that divides Western Europe from Asia! That day was sunny and warm!

Before going along the river, we stopped in a spice market and enjoyed choosing several kinds of Turkish delight to try so we could eat them on the boat! Well, let me say that I am still not a big fan of Turkish delight! :o) (These many kinds of dried fruit.)

The last night in Istanbul we ate out at a nice Turkish restaurant. Hands down, that was my favorite Mediterranean meal I’ve eaten! Let me warn you, before you try it, that Turkish coffee tastes just like espresso (which I love) but with all the grounds still in the coffee! That was a bit of a shock.

We had about a twelve hour lay-over in Zurich so we ate a fabulous meal at an amazing Swiss restaurant, walked around a bit and then crashed for a few hours at a nearby hotel. I adore Switzerland, but I have never been to Zurich, so that was fascinating!

It was a wonderful vacation! But, ten days in three VERY different countries is a little bit exhausting! (Of COURSE it was worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!) :o)