Greetings from Istanbul!! We've finally arrived after a 9 hour journey. I puddle jump compared to the 15 hour journey to Korea earlier this summer. We're staying in the Arcadia Hotel overlooking the Blue Mosque and the Bosporous Strait. Today, after pick-up at the airport we check in at our hotel we all gathered atop the hotel terrace and had a brief orientation from our tour guide, Serhan. With a bit of time afterwards, Megan, Program Director at the World Affairs of CT and fellow CT teacher Susan and I had a coffee at the store down the street. It was the first taste of Istanbul for us. Then we made our way to the quant sea-side neighborhood of Oratky, to the Cinaralti Restaurant. We had a mese plate of dumas (stuffed grape leaves), humus, and artichoke heart, followed by a lamb shiskabe and a dessert of sweets and fruit. Delicious! My friend Susan and I walked the main square around our hotel after dinner and took photos of the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sophia at night. We just heard the final moon up call to prayer outside our hotel window and now it's off to bed for a full day tomorrow!