Museums and miniatures: Adventures in Istanbul Part 1

We began our trip to Istanbul with a tram ride and a bus trip to visit to Miniaturk, a large installation of miniature replicas of sites all around Turkey, both ancient and modern.  It was pretty impressive, with lots of narration about the significance of all the locations, but the day was pretty cold for an outside venue and the boys and I ran through the place fairly quickly, trying to stay warm.  They did have a playground the boys used to warm up, and a cafe where I had my first of many, many cups of apple tea (herbal tea is a mainstay in this city, which was a pleasant surprise).  Miniaturk also included a "panoramic" war museum, which was basically a huge, 3D diorama depicting a turn of the century war along the front lines and in peasant villages, complete with very, VERY loud sound effects.  And there was also a crystal museum, a small room filled with glass blocks into which had been etched Istanbul's major tourist attractions.  E love the war room and J was enthralled with the neon lighting in the crystal room, and all of us appreciated the chance to get out of the cold.

Next, we headed down the road a bit to the Rahmi M. Koc Museum of Transport, Industry, and Communication.  As per usual for us, this odd museum turned out to be one of our favorite spots, with a train ride, full-size air planes, train engines, cars, and boats, including a ferry and a submarine, as well as an interactive, hands-on kids' science exploration center along with extensive displays on every topic from the first president of Turkey to doll houses.  We spent most of the day here and could have stayed longer.

I think there was something else that was supposed to be on our agenda that day but after these two sites we were wiped, so we headed back to our lovely Airbnb apartment near the center of town for some well-deserved rest.

Waiting for our first (of many) trolley.

Zoning out in the warm bus.

J's favorite display in Miniaturk, a funicular, of course!

We never let a playground pass us by when we travel!

Giant anchors at the museum! 

A nod to our pioneer ancestors in Istanbul!

Snack break! 

Giant bubbles at the science play area.

They made a free-standing arch!  

Daddy and the boys got really interested in a giant puzzle
where every piece was one of two shapes...

...that fit together into complicated patterns we spent a long
time trying to arrange and rearrange.

Circa 1950s jet.

The random exercise equipment at the park by the museum.

This mosque, the "new" mosque, was near the bus station.  It was
completed in 1663, which makes it a baby in Instanbul!