June 24, 2026
One of the things we love to do when we travel is a food tour. Even if you think you know a lot about a country's cuisine, nothing beats walking around with a local and visiting some of their favorite places.
We booked a food tour with an Istanbul native named Alp who works with a group called WithLocals. He was the perfect guide as he had a culinary arts background and a deep love for his hometown. You can find him here.
Our two remaining sisters and spouses were taking a day to recover from travel, so it was just Dave and Bonnie, Chris and Stan, and Bob and I again. Alp suggested we meet in Taksim Square, which was about a mile from our ship, and when we ventured out in the morning, we decided it was the perfect day for a walk. We located Taksim Square on our phones, set the GPS, and started out.
We'd walked a few blocks away from the docks and came upon an area full of fancy shops. This zebra outfit is especially lovely, don't you think? I wonder if the mask comes with the dress?
We enjoyed the walk and sea breeze for a few more blocks, but then our GPA led us away from the waterfront, and suddenly the terrain changed.
The ensuing route was full of steep flights of as many as 40 to 50 stairs, and since our group included our sister-in-law in a wheelchair, we looked for ways to bypass the stairs. We soon understood why there were stairs when the streets we took instead seemed to be going straight up. In a few places, Bonnie got out of the chair and managed a flight of stairs, but it was difficult for her, and so the men banded together to help with the challenging ascent.
