We were two families traveling together, a group of nine people, staying in adjacent apartments just beneath the Galata Tower and overlooking the Galata Bridge in the first part of our trip. Our teenagers had the company of friends so it was just perfect. They traveled around the city, independently without difficulty.
Vaqar and I usually trudged up the hill in the mornings to the bakery and fruit vendors to get fresh bread, simit (Turkish bagel) that come in many flavors, as well as many fresh fruits. Everything was very reasonably priced for those used to Canadian prices. Our friend Arsev in Montreal had told us all about these wonderfully unique Turkish things that we would enjoy. The Simit vendors are often seen standing on traffic lights or at tourists sights selling their simits for the breakfast.
Electric Trams that charge $1 for any journey as well as ferries are a super efficient way of getting around Istanbul. They are both clean and always on time. Don't even think of renting a car unless you are heading out of town, or you will get bogged in traffic and have difficulty finding parking.
Ephesus is the best-preserved classical Roman city on the Mediterranean, and a place that gives the feeling for what civilization was really like in Roman times. It was a strategic coastal gateway to the Eastern World and it grew to be the second largest city in the Roman Empire.
This is where the water is crystal clear and the kebabs are deliciously juicy. 
The experience was a little different from the usual holidays because we lived in a residential area with other local. It has got to be one of those rare countries where the moment you announce that you are Pakistani by origin, you get a smile and suddenly you a brother. There were places where people refused to take our money for roti etc. Wazir Khan Masjid, Lahore from Tasawwuf on Vimeo.
