We went to the Basilica Cistern this afternoon, an underground water storage space built in the 6th century. Like other tourist sites in the area, entrance was about 20 Turkish lira (about 8 dollars). And it was SO worth it. The columns are lit up in a way that makes it incredibly beautiful (and a tiny bit creepy, in a secret underground way), and I'm so impressed by the architecture which has survived for 1500 years. This city has been occupied - and important! - for a very long time, and I'm in awe of its history.
We had dinner tonight with a grad school friend of mine who is Turkish and lives here in Istanbul. It was so good to see her and to ask questions and share our observations of the city and the culture. She was the perfect guide for the evening, taking us to a different part of the city than we'd been to so far. We laughed our way through dinner (kumpir - a super loaded baked potato that is a popular quick dinner here - and a waffle with Nutella and fruit). I continue to love this country!
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