Yildiz Park

First graders only had a four-day school week this week, so today was free.  I took Nehir and Taylan to a nice little park down a very steep hill from our house.  This meant a very slow, difficult climb up and enormous staircase to get back home.  Nehir was really cooperative and didn't whine much at all (as opposed to my internal dialogue which was whining away). 

Later that day the whole family went to a beautiful, huge park called Yildiz Park (Star park).  The kids played in a play-area, and then we took a tour of a Mansion built in the late 1800s by the Ottoman Emperor, Abdul Ahmet.  It is incredibly luxurious, full of gorgeous furniture, chandeliers, vases, paintings, etc. etc. etc.  It was very impressive.  We then drove around to see how big the park is, and it is giant.  We stopped again at this odd and fun outdoor gym area. There are a whole bunch of glide-motion machines out in the open where anyone can use them.  We all had fun trying the different machines, and Nehir was especially entertained by them.  

We popped into a little grocery store on the way home and I met an American who is married to a German who is living in Turkey for the next three years.  She seemed really nice and had some good information for us about the neighborhood, like where and when the Bazaars are.  I fought the urge to launch into politics but I was dying to ask what she thought of Obama.  I want an American friend to share my enthusiasm with!