I ran out of time for this post on our last day in Istanbul but I still want to share some of the more off-the-beaten-path things we experienced during our stay, since for us it really made the trip.  Sean and I both agree that our time in Istanbul was incredible; it was one of the best cities we’ve ever visited.  So if you get the chance…go!  You won’t regret it.

Our second of three Turkish baths while on vacation. This one was built in the 1500s and we ended up having it all to ourselves! Unfortunately it took Sean a while to cool off after the humidity.

This picture doesn't even do these delicious burgers justice. Anthony Bourdain described them as "soggy burgers," which is pretty accurate. Delicious, cheap "Islak hamburgers" are sold on the street after being dipped in a watery tomato paste and kept warm under a lamp. Doesn't sound like much, but trust me...

Sean with a very, very excited group of Turkish school children. Our visit was surprisingly similar to our daily life, with choruses of "Hello! What is your name?!" repeatedly being shouted at us by kids learning English.

We learned a popular Turkish game called "Okay," the goal being to create sets or straight flushes. It's actually really fun, and we ended up playing for an hour and a half (while enjoying Turkish tea and coffee). We're looking online for a cheap set to bring home.

We checked out a wine bar near the Galata Tower - a trendy, modern area of the city - and enjoyed some red and white Turkish wine. Surprisingly good!

One of our tours took us to an old neighborhood (one we wouldn't have ever found on our own) and showed us this old Orthodox high school that once had a huge, sprawling campus.

Like Georgia, Istanbul has a ton of street cats. Unlike Georgia, Turkish people love and care for the street cats - meaning that many are sweet and some are spoiled, refusing to eat your leftover bread and holding out for your meat.

We are still traveling (now in Georgia) and Sean is still digging through the 1500+ pictures we took on this trip, so we haven’t had time yet to reflect on our vacation.  Like most trips, we’ll probably truly realize how much fun it was after the fact.

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