Arrival, quick pic

After our spring trip to Bangkok I thought the trip to Istanbul would be a piece of cake. I was wrong: the flight seemed interminable in seats that were too cramped. Then, Judy sat next to a man from Niger (not Nigeria, which it borders to the south) in west Africa. He seemed asymptomatic so we are hoping for the best.

Anyway, enough complaining. Here we are all checked in at the hotel (the Intercontental Ceylan) after a long taxi ride from the AP, which cost a surprisingly cheap 60 lira (2.2/$) or around $27. Istanbul is an immense, sprauling city, clean and with lovely views of the Bosperous with its heavy shipping traffic.

We plan to walk around (in a fog due to no sleep; hope we find our way back) the area a little to keep away temptations of serious napping, which would throw off our adjustment even more.

Hotel room view: