Walked to train station and purchased an all day metro pass for 4E. Met shipmates Tim?, Anna, and Michelle from Florida on the way. Did find pickpockets working at station but transportation security shooed them off train before it left the station. Transferred to red line and exited metro at Syntagma. Walked to Monastiraki, exploring alleyways as people walked their kids to school. Stopped for cappuccino at a cafe 3,5E because I needed restroom. The waiter told me about Greece's money problems. He said Greece was convinced Turkey would invade them and needed to build up their military. They took out loans they couldn't afford to pay back. When they got broke outside companies came in and fired everybody and then hired them back at 40% of their previous wage. So everybody is trying to live on way less money. Got lost for a bit and then decided to take the 6E Happy Train. Met Boston Family from ship on train - Ken, Deb, Laura, Wynona. Got off at Akropolis and walked around the site. The stones are very slippery even on dry day. Met Rose from Chile also on my ship, waiting for Happy Train at Akropolis. Enjoyed the remainder of Happy Train tour. Shopped a little afterwards 1E shot glass. Had good cream-filled pastry 1E and iced coffee 2E on walk back to ship from station.

Walking from ship to the Galata Bridge I met Jodi from Missouri and her daughters Olivia, Sophia, and Emma. We walked across the upper deck thinking it will be cooler to walk the lower level in the heat of afternoon. Tried 1L sweet bread and and 4.50L/3 baklava at Spice Market outside shop area. One looked like bird nest with hazelnuts. I mistakenly bought ticket for Arch. Museum 15L, thinking it was Topkapi Palace. You enter into a courtyard and when I asked for directions into the palace they directed me out the exit. Later he wouldn't let me back in since ticket was already scanned. When I tried to enter the palace, he told me that ticket was not for palace. So I got into the long line for palace ticket 45L with harem. It started raining just before I got there. Inside Topkapi Palace there are lots of lines like Disneyland. I felt disappointed when I realized I waited in line for a bunch of knives and some guns. Luckily the harem had not much line due to extra ticket needed. I tend to like to move through sites and museums quickly and you were guided along moving only as fast as the crowds ahead of you move so I tired quickly. Also, I have some PBS tapes that seem to show it better than I was able to see it so don't think I would do it next time. Friday is a busy religious day and by the time I had walked to Blue Mosque was closed for a bit over an hour, with a wait line started. The rain is getting heavier so I take off my wet Danskos and put dry tennis shoes on. Thanks to Karen back home I put my umbrella in backpack on way out of cabin that morning. Heading downhill along tracks I stop at Basilica Cistern 20L and about a 15-minute line in rain. Bought a headband from a lady only because I appreciated the fact that she wasn't pushy. Very moist inside cistern with water dripping like a cave. By the time I got out rain was heavy and thunder was getting louder. Tried Blue Mosque one more time but now the line was incredibly long and I was getting tired. Decided to stop at Spice Market and head back to ship. Shop keepers were sweeping the rain and whatever garbage was flowing by into the street to keep their shops from flooding. Streets were flooding. Istanbul travel warning: If police block Spice Market exit during thunderstorm, might not be the lightning hazard. It may be that the sewer is overflowing into flooded street and they are helping you not walk through it! Oops! :)

Overall I found Istanbul to be the most difficult port with the pushy vendors, long lines, very active thunderstorm, and the sewer experience (what trip memories are made of, right?). But I still very much enjoyed it and am happy that I got to see it.