Hellos from Istanbul! Here we are all congregated in this fascinating city – I am still piching myself:)-
Our first stop was the magnificient Renaissance style Dolmabahce Palace to remember the opulance of the Ottoman Empire, even at its last legs with all its glory.
The soldier who stands still nonstop at the gate simply fascinates us
And the beautiful gateway from the Palace that opens up to the Bosphorus is just breathtaking, what a view!
In the evening, we had a real feast of Agean style mezes, fish and wonderful dessert at the Giritli restaurant in Sultanahmet. They source all their vegetables and herbs from the Agean region and all the mezes are a feast to the eye and stomach:)Here we are enjoying smoked eggplants, grilled octapus, fava bean puree, roasted red peppers, purslane wıth garlic yoghurt, pickled cucumbers, Aegean style marinated olives with feta cheese and many more. You get to taste a variety of freshly prepared mezes, a real treat.
And this is fresh seabass cooked in Aegean style, simply grilled with a little olive oil, served with rocket leaves and slice of lemon – a lovely and traditional way to enjoy it.
And this is our favorite dessert – Bodrum Lokmasi. A very light batter of yeast, warm water and flour is being fried as little drops. Then a warm syrup is pour over it.
Bodrum lokmasi is served with the wonderful Turkish ice cream, what a way to end a feast:)
I hope you enjoy the post and all we have been up to, and I truly hope you make it to Istanbul sometime to enjoy even more. I think what makes this country so special is the people and their hospitality, so welcoming. Highly recommended:)
