<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2013/10/04/exploring-old-town-plovdiv/" target="_blank">After Plovdiv</a>, we drove to Istanbul. I'd been to Istanbul one other time but I was really excited to visit a second time. The city is so big, so colorful, so lively, full of people and traffic and totally wonderful.

I bought my dAd an Istanbul guidebook for Father's Day and I know that he was looking forward to seeing the city. My MoM said that is one of the things he talked most about before the trip. He also <a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2013/06/11/question-what-to-wear-in-bulgaria/" target="_blank">worried about what to wear</a>.<em> Aw, dAd</em>.

We arrived in Istanbul in the afternoon and unpacked our bags. I also won a gold star for driving in Istanbul--I think that if I can do this, I can do anything. After unpacking our bags, we went out to explore our corner of the city.

I suggested that we walk to the Spice Market.

The city was busy and there was tons to see. I kept turning around to look for my dAd and sister. I wanted to make sure that I hadn't lost them.

It was funny. I noticed that my dAd didn't have his camera out and he wasn't taking pictures of anything. I stopped to take photos and then all of a sudden so was my dAd. I asked him why he wasn't taking photos. He said something to the effect of: because there are so many things to see. Love it!

The Spice Market was only a few blocks from our hotel. I found it exciting and energizing to visit the market. It's also overwhelming. There are people everywhere.

Guys in the shops are busy offering you pieces of Turkish Delight, nuts or dried apricots. Then there are the lights and the smells. The market is well lit but there are also shops selling Turkish lamps and some neon. So there's tons to see.

In terms of what one can see, there are also baskets full of colorful spices, piles of loose leaf tea and the Turkish Delight is endless. Wow.

Everyone offers you something to eat or to try. Mostly it is Turkish Delight. (Yum, yum.) The slices are thin and if you try to demure or decline, the shop assistant will likely say ridiculous things like: these are calorie free, you're not fat--you can eat one, or why not? this will make you happy.

Needless to say, I ate a lot of Turkish Delight. I also bought some. Most of the shops give you the opportunity to shrink wrap the Turkish Delight so that you can take it home with you. I guess that it lasts for 3 or 4 months this way. I assume it's better to eat it sooner rather than later. If you can even wait that long.

After the Spice Market, we ate corn on the cob which we bought off of a street vendor and then we had doner sandwiches for dinner.