Off to Turkey - Topkapi Palace

After a short 1-1/2 hour flight from Athens to Istanbul, and after a grueling traffic- congested drive from the airport, we just had time to visit the 15th-century residence of Ottoman sultans, Topkapi Palace. For 400 years, the site served as both the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and the sultan's private home.

We explored the courtyards and outer gardens (tulips!), the imperial kitchens, the library, the treasury and residential chambers—including rooms for the harem, the eunuchs and the head slave. For a must-see sight, it was not too crowded. Many of the tourists appear to be from Turkey.

In the evening, we found a restaurant with delicious food (falafel and kebab-casserole) and watched a fiery performance of table-side cooking for the couple next to us—quite a show. We were tired and ready for our check, but the restaurant insisted on serving us tea and a moist, crumbly cake—very tasty!Read more