Shelby

Hello family and friends -
Just finished breakfast, and I'm sitting in the common area of our hostel, drinking tea and watching boats travel up the bosporus straight, and we just saw the stragest thing - a huge tanker boat is shooting water like a firetruck from either side of the hull, making it look like it has wings, like a bird or a bug or something. Very strange.

By the magic of time travel, I'm celebrating my Mom's birthday before she is - I will call her tonight and it will be her birthday morning. Happy birthyday Mom!

Today we are going to the blue mosque, and to the grand bazaar to by more cloth and textiles. Then to the post office to mail our treasures home, as there is no room to carry them on our backs. So family, when a box comes don't open it because there are turkish surprises inside, or dare I say, Turkish Delight? Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Yesterday we took the tram and found our way to a ferry that we rode to the Princess Islands. The beach down the hill from us in Istanbul is a male only beach - more by habit than by rule, as the men would make a bathing suit clad woman feel so alienated that she couldn't get her clothes back on fast enough. But the islands are different and much more western in Mindset, so I had no problems at all swimmingin the Marmara sea - it was wonderful as yesterday was a very hot day.

I've come down with some sort of cold - probably from a number of reasons. Notably, the dairy I've been consuming, lack of square meals, sleep, and just going full strength. So, we're taking it easy today which will be nice. I'm going to find a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice vendors sell everywhere here... mmmm....

Having a wonderful time, and love you all.