Bananas in Istanbul

Have you ever carried a banana with you in your hand all day long? I have. And you wouldn't believe how much it apparently makes you stand out. At first I was just bringing it with me to the roof of our hostel in istanbul to eat it for breakfast.  Walking up our hostel host made a comment about me bringing an exotic fruit to breakfast and started laughing.  I never thought of a banana as exotic but maybe it is and I learned quickly that they don't eat fruit for breakfast in turkey! the traditional breakfast in turkey is bread, cucumbers, tomatoes and yogurt and jam.  I've never had veggies for breakfast but turns out it's a great way to start your day. I ended up getting full on the free food and didn't eat the banana.  So later on as we were walking out of the hostel to start our day of sight seeing I was still holding my banana (thinking id eat it on the road) and the hostel host passed us and said "geez how many bananas do you have?!" Haha I was surprised he noticed I still had it!

As we were walking the street there were a couple people that passed and made comments about the banana and someone who said "it's banana girl!"  I thought it was hilarious the banana drew so much attention.  Later on in the Grand Bazaar we passed an old guy who looked At Robby and said "my favorite boy" in a really weird voice hahah apparently he liked what he saw! And then a while later we passed him again in the bazaar and he said something like "my boy again and his banana girl!" Hahaha although Robby was a little creeped out, (but also flattered?) and although he got more attention than the banana...the banana was still noticed.  I mean let's be honest you could be holding anything else in your hand around the same size as a banana and no one would look twice.  But the banana cries for attention.  I decided after a couple hours I couldn't eat the banana now, it would feel like eating my own young.  From then on we decided it had to be in all our pictures that day... It saw all the great sites with us! So now you can play a game called spot the banana. It's not a difficult game.

The Bascillica Cistern.  This place was so cool. It is underground and has over three hundred Thick columns supporting it. One of the old sultans had it built to keep a reservoir of water in it so that during any war he would always have easy access to a water supply.  Maybe that's what we need to be doing when the church says to have food and water supply? Somebody please dig a cistern!

Such a cool eerie feeling.  Everything was candlelit

Underground!

Medusas head! Two of the columns have her head on the bottom - they have no idea why the sultan had them built like that but do you really need a reason?

Hagia Sofia. A giant old Christian church turned Mosque.  This is one of the landmarks of Istanbul that is quite incredible to look at and walk through.

Us with a spaceship behind us (hagia Sofia) 

In case you missed the banana the first time. This is a shot of the Hagia Sofia while standing at the front doors of the Blue Mosque.

the inside - cool chandeliers!

Cool kids

Right across the way doing a face off with the Hagia Sofia is The Blue Mosque.  Another giant and famous Mosque that one of the sultans had built.  It was cool to go inside and watch Muslims at prayer but In order to go in you have to be covered including your hair. Dont have a hijab? Thats fine, they provide one for you in the form of a large pillow case.  The decor inside is super intricate with lots of BLUE.

We were amazed when we saw these mosques...Never seen anything like it!

Sometimes business calls can't wait

We went to this mosque two days, one time after the demise of the banana.  He's not in this one

Cool doors

The inside was so pretty!

The Grand Bazaar.  I think I mentioned this already but it's Huuuuuge shopping area with store after store and people using different tactics and spitting hilarious lines to get you to come to THEIR shop although it looks identical to ones you saw just seconds before.  "How can I get you to buy something you don't need?" They would say while smiling.  Or "yes, hello how can I help you spend your money today?"  They laugh and joke with you though and never put too much pressure on.  We are used to much more of that from morocco so anything seems less intense now.  

Can you spot the banana??

Lots of really good clothing options in the bazaar! Is Aladdin wearing a diaper??

Craziness in the bazaar!

I think we ended up at the Grand Bazaar three different times, it was pretty entertaining.

That was the end of our sightseeing with the banana.  After seeing lots of cool sights together...I ate it.  We had a good run though.