Travelin' with E, Pt. 1: Istanbul, not Constantinople

Mr. Pickle joined one of his favorite traveling buddies Elizabeth on a grand adventure to Europe! Mr. P was able to add a few new countries to his visited-list and he ate many, many delicious meals. On their way to Belgium they spent 40 hours in Istanbul, Turkey. Here is what they were up to:

 
 Mr. P's first mosque: Süleymaniye Mosque. He didn't have to wash his feet when he went inside...because he doesn't have feet. He did have to remove his hat, however.

Mr. P crossing the Galata Bridge over the Bosphorus Strait into a different part of Istanbul. They thought they had walked all the way to Asia, but that would've been over a different bridge. They weren't all that impressed with the other side, so it's just as well that it wasn't Asia!

Taking a break with Turkish coffee and sweets after a long morning of walking. YUM. 

 Mr. Pickle in the Basilica Cistern, which was so cool! It was built in the 6th century to bring water into the city, and was featured in the movie From Russia With Love.

Basilica Cistern

Mr. P took a (blurry) photo with one of the famous Medusa heads, but didn't turn to stone himself.

Apparently they missed out on several major historical/tourist attractions, so Mr. P had to make do with taking photos outside.

 Mr. P's second mosque, the much more famous Blue Mosque. By this point, he was an expert in proper and respectful mosque behavior.

Mr. P wasn't sure what to make of this puffy bread at dinner on our last night in Istanbul. 

The end of Istanbul! Next stop: Belgium. 

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Mr. Pickle is THE FAMOUS NOMADIC PICKLE, and he's booking summer trips. Check his itinerary to see if your trip fits into his schedule. He's dying to get to all 50 states!!