Istanbul, an introduction

Until last week, I had limited my worldwide travel to the U.S. and Canada (Montreal and Ottawa). I always knew there had to be more to it, so I got a passport last December, just in case opportunity knocked for a chance to see the world without joining the navy. The passport grew dusty for nine months, and then the knock. My daughter "Will you come to Istanbul with me and babysit while I attend the conference?" Who  can resist time with a smiling, energetic, wide eyed almost one year old grandson, and an interesting, loving courageous daughter? Of course I said yes.
Istanbul, hmmm! Is it a town, a city, a country? Europe, Asia, or Africa? Wikipedia told me it was a big city, one of the largest in the world (14 million people), It is hard to count after a while. It probably is one of the largest area wide, 2000 square miles or 40 miles by 50 miles. It is located on two continents, Europe and Asia, and is one of the oldest cities around.
It is in Turkey. Whoa! That's right next to Syria, and in the same neighborhood as Egypt, Libya, and bunch of other countries where there seems to me continuous fighting, ethnic and religious strife, and a host of other issues, not to mention disease, disability and death. There were big demonstrations at Taksim Square in June, July and August of this year. The demonstrators were routed by police using tear gas, rubber bullets and other things  each time, and were warned that demonstrating in Turkey was illegal.
With all this swirling in my head, I prepared to go, ready to spend time in jail, if need be. I did not pack a hard hat or gas mask. The fun of being with two of my favorite people over came any misgivings I had.
After the usual hassle at the airport (I must look suspicious... too happy), we boarded our Turkish Airlines jet, Flight 1, from JFK on a Sunday evening. Pillows, blankets, slippers, food, wine (three glasses) and two great meals made me quickly forget the terminal hassles and fall in love with air travel. Ten hours later, wheels down at Ataturk Airport. It was Monday already. An hour later, we arrived at the Point hotel, maybe two blocks from Taksim square. After a brief rest, a sample of Turkish delight from the hotel desk, the three of us set out to explore the neighborhood. Baby Khaled smiled for everyone, flashed his eyes and won the world. We walked to the square through big crowds of people, avoiding obstacles placed there by the constant construction that would move Istanbul into the 21st century and the possibility of hosting the summer Olympics.
(The decision not to hold the Olympics there was made by the committee that weekend. I am not sure whether the people who made that decision had actually visited Istanbul. Depending on where you were in the city, a person could have voted either way.)
At the square, probably the size of ten football fields, we paused for a photo at the Republic monument, which commemorates the establishment of the republic of Turkey in 1920. Vendors of pretzels, corn on the cob, chestnuts, and other Turkish delicacies dotted the square (the square was more round.) Rugs, jewelry, scarfs were also available. It was a beautiful, leisurely experience, yet only a month ago the square had been the scene of a large, illegal demonstration dispersed by force. We walked up one of the side streets and purchased some baklava (way different/better from what I made in my own kitchen.) After a stop in a market to purchase water, we negotiated a few cobblestone streets to the Haya Triada, a Greek Orthodox Church built in the late1800s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Triada_Greek_Orthodox_Church,_Istanbul 

The view of the church is virtually obliterated by ugly buildings.  It was difficult to find, even as we stood next to it. The vestibule was decorated with several icons, and an altar with burning candles. In the heart of this bastion of Islam, there is a nod to Christianity.

We had dinner that night in an Italian restaurant. It seems that besides MacDonald's, Starbucks, and Burger King, the Italian cuisine dominates across cultures.
We finished the first full day in Istanbul with a sense of relief and comfort. We knew that English was understood, and found out that most signs and menus were printed for us.  Comfort food or pizza was just outside our hotel door. We found people to be friendly, helping to lift the baby stroller up steps and over bumps. The money system was easy to understand, 2 Turkish lira equals a US dollar. We were happy, and slept until 9:30 Tuesday morning. (more to come)