Holy Mother of Pearl!!

I thought this was an apt verbal exclamation while visiting the Imperial Palace today. Hooley Badooley-one very impressive place. I got a few photos which are pretty good, but the most impressive parts were off limits to cameras and they were amazing. Huge amounts of 'Mother of Pearl', gold, ornate tiles, marble (marble is very common here), beautiful paintings. If all you renovaters out there need inspiration- come to Turkey!!

Today I hung out with an American girl named Lyndsay who is currently residing in Sweden, visiting the Imperial Palace, Grand Bazaar and a few other places. (I finally got to the Grand Bazaar with her navigation :) The Grand Bazaar sells fabrics, leather goods, clothing, water pipes, backgammon/chess boards and loads of other stuff. I was quite surprised how quiet it was there today... very quiet. Monday is also a day shops shut as well, so this may have something to do with it. I haggled over a backgammon board for a bit... that's probably the only thing I'd really like to get but won't until I'm about to leave Turkey in a few weeks. The boards I like are a black wood with thin bronze wire and mother of pearl inlay. At the one shop I actually haggled, the price started at about $140 + $50 for chess pieces... the last offer he made was $35 for board and pieces when I walked away. I think they must have a pretty good profit margin. Can't wait till I'm actually buying - so much fun! I saw the same style and size of board later with a starting price of $70 so its worth looking around.
Better keep going if I'm to catch a bus tonight!