And for now, I send you off with a David Bowie cat- one green eye, one blue. Eat well and live happy! Bodrum is up next.
A very traditional dish in Istanbul: the Adana Kebap. I usually try to avoid eating baby animals when I am in the states, but I just had to try some of the Turkish lamb. This is a very spicy strip of pressed meat, served with pita bread, french fries, rice, and salad. Mmm.
and the third the end result: Chicken Temi, an unbelievably mouth-watering dish- the camera doesn't do it justice.
...the second, my waiter shattering the top of the vase with a knife...
Alright... so the next three are all of this fantastic dinner that was presented to me in the most exciting way. The first image shows a ceramic pot set on fire... 
This here is a chicken casserole, stuffed with chicken (obviously), peppers, cheese, sauce, and chili flakes. I love just about anything spicy, so I loved this.
Some stuffed eggplant, peppers, and grape leaves with yogurt. Oh-so-good! In the background yo can see some more ezme, a salad, and my sister's hair.
These guys were vended all over the streets. I'm not sure what they are called, but they are somewhat of a mixture between a bagel and a pretzel, encrusted with toasted sesame seeds. Also delicious!
And now for some food. I am posting pictures of some of my favorites. This Anatolian bread is delicious. It's very thin and baked into a crunchy bubble. In the lower picture, it is shown served with eggplant and ezme. Esme is a chili pepper sauce: yuuumm.
The Whirling Dervishes of the Mawlawi Order believe that pain and negative energy can be passed and pushed off through entering a transcendent state. In order to obtain transcendence, they twirl in circles for minutes at a time, maintaining their balance and eventually working themselves into a trans.
Topkapi Sarayi: this lovely palace was one home to the sultans and their concubines. At a very young age, the brightest and most girls were sent here from all over the country to live as royal concubines to the sultan. Eventually, the sultan would chose his favorite to become the royal mother and queen of the realm. 
Here are some relics from the Archaeological Museum that were used in the burial of the dead- they each hold a body part of the deceased, and were believed to grant eternal life through their encasement of that body part.
The inside of the Basilica Cisterna- the largest underwater cistern in Istanbul- also built in the 6th century. The Basilica Cisterna contains a series of decorated pillars, and two statue bases of the ill-fated goddess Medusa.
The inside of Haghia Sophia- a mosque built during the Byzantine Empire for w between 532-527 AD. Prayers are still spoken tri-daily from this mosque.
My family and I recently returned from Turkey. We first went to Istanbul, which is known for its grandiose mosques, mysterious cisterna, ancient relics, beautiful concubine quarters, and whirling dervishes. It also has some kick-ass grub. I won't overstimulate you too much by posting all of my pictures; I'll just overstimulate you a little by posting a couple handfulls.
