It was a rough crossing for me (Edward), I got no sleep on either flight, and basically was up for 28 hours. Anne did a little better and got some some sleep on the flights. Both were sardine specials. All tha was missing was the Olive oil, they or I guess we were packed.
We have a layover at Schiphol in Amsterdam. I was going to post there, but we could not connect with the wireless. The computer would connect to the Free WIFI site, but the browsers would not recognise it. After an hour we gave up and went to the Art Museum they have in the airport. When we got to Istanbul, Angelika met us with hugs and kisses. We caught a cab to the hotel. 30 minutes later we are on the hotel wireless and everything is working wonderfully.
I then slept for 12 hours. Anne and Angelika went out for a bit to eat. Today we got up and went touristing with a passion. We went to see a mosque and the Egyptian Market. I was the pack mule. When we left my backpack was pretty empty and weighed 3 pounds. Returning home at 9 pm it weighed 30 pounds. Those two girls can shop.
We went to visit some of the Jewish sites in Istanbul. There has been a comunity her for centuries. It is very small now, but both Askenasiem and Sephardic Synagogues are here. We went to one of each. The Sepphardic is now a museum, but the community has been here since 1492. They took in a lot of Spanish Jews who wer exiled by Spain. The speak Ladino, which we found out we sorta speak. It is basically Spanish using hebrew letters to spell out spanish words.
We went the Askenazic Synagogue and met a bunch of the members. They are undergoing a major restoration. I think this is one that was bombed a few years ago. It has double walls of steel,, with steel girder reinforcing between the street and the actual building. It was quite impressive. The Shamos chatted with us in Turkish, Angelika translating,. He also spokle a little French and English.
We the shopped some more, actually I watched them shop.
The pictrues are as follows the Synagogue under renovation, the Sephartic Synagogue, the mosque, shopping in the Egyptian Market
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