Prince's Islands

Today was largely a relaxation and exploration day. Nearly all of us went to Prince's Islands in the morning, specifically Buyukada (the largest of the Prince's Islands). About half of us went biking while the other half went swimming. Rob Sansone and I led the bikers and Carlene led the swimmers. It was mostly relaxation (after the seemingly endless up-hill biking our half endured/enjoyed). The boat rides, "there and back again" (apologies to JRR Tolkien for that!), were for me the most relaxing. I didn't take any pictures on the island but, to show you (again) the view of beautiful Istanbul from the sea, I'm including another panoramic shot of the Blue Mosque/Sultan Ahmet (on the left) and Haya Sophia (on the right).



Saturday will be a group visit to the Blue Mosque (optional; but Rob, Carlene, and I want to ensure that our students see this, one of the most stunning architectural wonders of the world), plus I'll do my own "Treasure Hunt" (since I required students to do it, I want to make sure I also repeat it and enjoy it).

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