So much history...and also Legos: Adventures in Istanbul Part 2

 Day 2 was a doozy for us.  We began the day at Topkapi Palace, where the kids were underwhelmed by the pavilions dedicated to various campaigns and leaders, impressed by the tiles, and most in love with the roosters and peacocks they had running all over one of the yards.  Then we went to see the Blue Mosque, which was very impressive (though perhaps not as blue as I had thought it would be).  They actually invited the boys, alone, to run around on the carpet in the prayer area, which we thought was a horrible idea, but they were happy to have them and the boys loved the soft carpets and all the space to twirl and look up at the chandeliers and tiles.  Next, we were off to the Basilica Cistern, which was eerie and cold and just as impressive as the buildings above ground.  The children loved the ambiance and the medusas and the fish (they are always on the lookout for animals, can you tell?).

Eating their morning rewards for making it up the steep hill
where we lived, bread from the bread vendors, both with and
without nutella!  E said that he would come back to Istanbul just to
land, buy some of this bread, and get back on the plane!

Tile in Topkapi Palace.

The view of the Bosphorous from Topkapi.

The Blue Mosque in the background.

On the floor at the Blue Mosque, admiring the view.

The husband is calling this look mosque-chic!

E got very, very comfortable!

Getting some good luck at the Basilica Cistern.

Day 3 we went a bit outside the city and the usual tourist spots to head to Legoland Istanbul!  Getting there was a bit of an adventure in public transportation using the kindness of people who wanted to be very helpful but spoke very little English.  One older man actually got off with us at the right stop and then walked us two thirds of the way there to make sure we arrived!  The boys were in heaven and enjoyed every minute of their visit, showing us that perhaps it's time to take them to some much bigger theme parks in the future!  This was only a Discovery Centre, so it's a compact take on a Legoland, but the boys didn't know any better and were happy with our time there.  Afterwards, we debated about whether to go to an Aquarium or Jurassic Land, both of which were in the same mall, but Jurassic Land won out, and I'm glad it did, because that place was a kind of Euro-weird I had never experienced before.  By the final big show, which was sort of Cirque d'Soleil meets 80s music video meets low budget movie set, I was laughing out loud.  Honestly, words cannot express adequately how bizarre this place was, but I think the boys enjoyed the animatronic dinosaurs and the Juracopter simulator ride.  Remind me to tell you the whole story the next time you see me!

How happy do they look? 

More smiles!

In front of the sites of Istanbul made out of Legos. 

Ready for the 4D movie! 

The husband made a pharmacist minifig.

Leaving Jurassic Land, tired but happy (and mommy was hysterical!)

A word about food in Istanbul: my boys were in HEAVEN wherever we ate there.  We didn't take pictures of all our meals, of course, but every time we ate, they were all smiles.  Grilled meat, yummy bread, saucy bean dishes, all kinds of rice, what's not to love?

This is not a trick of perspective, that potato really was as big as his head! 

So was this one!

Here we are enjoying pide, kind of like Turkish pizza, but with no cheese!  Yay for me! 

And of course, the entertaining Turkish ice cream stands!

I couldn't get them to stop eating long enough to smile!