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We got up early this morning and headed to the Grand Bazaar which was the head of oriental trade routes for centuries. It consists of over 4,000 shops selling everything from spices to jewelry to Turkish carpets. It was a little overwhelming, so after buying some Turkish earrings and a replacement engagement ring (a cute little golden band) for the one that I left at home, we went to Istanbul’s version of a museum of modern art, the Istanbul Modern. The museum was good and I especially enjoyed the lack of crowds. MoMA in NYC is so packed you can barely move. After the museum we took another siesta — we’re trying to fit in with the local customs 😉 — and then strolled over to Galata Tower. We just happened upon an outdoor concert of Traditional Turkish music that was very dramatic and powerful. It was set against the skyline of the Galata Tower and we enjoyed the music while we dined outdoors on a little rooftop terrace. It was a very pleasant day.