Science museum, Topkapi, tram, spice market and lots of walking

Today started with Judy and Prudence hotfooting it to the the Grand Bazaar to meet Richard, Melinda and JP to buy gifts etc. I went as far as the Galatan bridge, then broke off to do my own thing for the rest of the day, since I fervently wanted to avoid that place.

Instead I visited the spice market, the museum of Islamic science and technology and the Topkapi palace grounds.

The spice market seemed to me to be as a tourist attraction, very over rated, like the grand bazaar. Mostly, it was just like all the other markets, with spice stalls thrown in. I walked through, then hit the street.

Representative stall:

The science museum was next to the Topkapi palace: 

It contained many models of Islamic (?) Scientific instruments, but would be difficult to appreciate without prior knowledge of the place of Muslim science in history (very important both in original work and in preserving older knowledge), and more detailed descriptions of the instruments themselves and their uses and contributions to our knowledge. A video basically encouraged Muslims to learn both science and their forefather's contributions to it. It looks like the encouragement will have little effect since I saw few people in the mostly deserted building.

Lunch, $7.00:

Great view from Topkapi palace grounds:

Galatan bridge on way home, via another funicular (note fishing poles that required fancy footwork to avoid tripping and being hooked by back casts):