RELIGION AND EATING

Turkey is 98% Muslim, and hard to beleive, because it is very secular and very modern in it's lifestyle.  Hardly a head scarf or berka to be seen.  Lots of mini skirts and "wordly entertainment".  Kaan explained, in Turkey, as in many areas, religion seems to become more serious as one ages!  Ha! And right now, Turkey is a Young country!  Whatever the reason, I can hardly beileve I am in a predominately Muslim country...except we haven't been eating pork.

The food is great, so far, and I have even drunk the water in the hotel.  I can attest that Turkey has some great wines, too...but I can't even name what I have been sipping. Whatever beer we have been ordering, is also wonderful.   We've eaten alot of vegetables, per Middle Eastern food, but haven't really had anything I would call adventurous....yet.

My peeve of the day is the internet at the Hilton is expensive.  I finally bit the bullet and signed up for a 24 hr ride.  Geesh, they have free WiFi even at the motel 6 in US, (I think), but in a classy place like the Hilton Istanbul....they make you pay.  I will have to get hold of Conrad and Paris on this when I get home.

Today we are hitting the sights early, visiting a huge Spice Market, and then getting on a boat and crusiing the Bosphorus to get to  a small, artsy village, called Ortaky.