Topkapi Palace...this was the palace where the Sultans lived. It spans such a large area, you almost need an entire day to walk around and view all of the exhibits. There are beautiful views from several locations around the palace, exhibits of bejeweled treasures and tons of history. There are ruins everywhere, rooms full of mosaics, and lovely gardens. There is even the Harem...which you could get lost in.
We arrived at Topkapi using the tram, a very easy and inexpensive form of public transportation available in Istanbul. Walking from the tram stop to the palace, the first thing we noticed were all the cats...they're a little like squirrels at home. They seem to be everywhere, are quite friendly, and seem to be well fed and well taken care of.
After we explored the palace for a while, we took a break at a spot overlooking the Bosphorous toward Asia. This was one of the most exciting moments of the entire trip. Why you may ask...well...it's when Dan proposed! It was quite romantic and memorable. The poor guy had been carrying the ring around since we left the states and barely made it through security at the airport and coming into the palace without me seeing it, because the box kept setting off the metal detectors. Luckily, even though usually nothing gets by me...in this case, it did everytime, so I was completely surprised.
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