Meraba

Just a quick photo update!

Day time view from our terrace.

We eat on the terrace for breakfast every morning.

Grand Bazaar is FILLED with things.

Plenty of jewelry. There are special charms to protect from the Evil Eye everywhere.

Turkish meerschaum pipes.

The New Mosque. One of my favorites so far.

The Spice Market had a plant/garden section. These were small cacti. 

There is a whole section of the Spice Market that sells animals. It was actually horribly sad to see them.

Here are two peacocks that I found. Their tails were totally missing and their cage was tiny.
I just want to buy all the animals and let them go. I found this article about animal abuse.

Dried Seedpods in the Spice Market.

Visiting the Topaki Palace, the home of the old Ottoman Sultans.

Everything was so ornate.

In the Gate of Felicity. Right above the Stone Marker for the Holy Banner. 

Baghdad Pavilion 

Amazing tiling everywhere.

The newborn princes were also laid in a golden cradle.

I'm working on learning more Turkish phrases. So far, it's not looking too hot. We will be staying in a village for two days where everyone has only met one foreigner before(my teacher) and no one speaks English.