I am in love......

Well with the little amount of free time during the trip and getting back to normal this week, no time to blog.  But now that my new pretty laptop is up and running, I am going to try today!  It's a lovely rainy day and the kiddos are watching The Princess and the Frog.  So I may have a solide 30 minutes.  So here is the short and sweet of the craziness of our trip to Istanbul.  And for the record.... I love it!

Sunday - walked around Taksim and Bestikas.  I'd say at least 10 miles.  On the way home, my hips were killing me!  We had lunch at the hotel overlooking the Bosphorus.  Did I mention there was bacon in the morning and Ketchup with my fries???  It's hard to remember what day we did what.  Especially dinner.  I was exhausted every night.  I think that is the first time in forever that I have slelpt thru the night.  Maybe its because I didn't have mommy ear on.  That night, we had dinner with Joel's new director at their favorite restaurant.  It was on the top floor of a hotel with amazing views.  We had a great time with Ted and Trisha and an amazing meal!!  Definitely happy we'd have some fun people from MI to hang out with!

Monday - We visited the Istanbul International Community School (IICS).  It was out in the boonies!!  It took an hour and half to get there from the hotel.  Which was a bad sign.  Either Joel would have a killer commute or the kids would.  It was a nice school and a good curriculm.  But it seemed way too laid back for our kids.   Well, at least Jocy.  But all of our kids have been raised on a structured schedule.  The campus was nice, the security was incredible....but just didn't get that feeling.  So we finish up and at this point are 30 minutes behind.  Thankfully the driver called the real estate agent for us.  We started out at Alkent 2000, a place we had found online early on.  Large houses and good prices.  Very close to the school too.  We knew one Ford family lived there too.  The first house was cute.  It was orange with beautiful gardens.  The backyard was large, had a beautiful view of the lake and a swimming pool!  It was a nice house but only three bedrooms... so onto the next.  It was a great house and it was pink.... Elly's request.  It was as close to a colonel as you will find there.  Small yard, but walking distance to the pool and the other Ford family.  7 bedrooms 5 1/2 baths and under budget!  It was definitely dated but the kitchen was recent.   We looked at two small house but they were definitely a big fat NO.  No AC???  Not an option.  Next we moved onto the Italian Village. OMG.  Every place we looked at there was gorgeous.  High end everything.  The only place with the perfect kitchen.  Definitely would be my top choice if it wasn't so far.  And the health club and pool were like a resort!!!  After that we were finished in that area.  Our realtor took us back into the city in an our called Bebek.  A beautiful waterfront community.  We had a beautiful lunch right on the water and talked about what we saw.  She made a few phone call to see if she could get some shows moved up.  She got one so we headed to Istinye to check out our first apartment.  I was NOT thrilled at the idea.  I wanted a yard for the kids like we have now. And the idea of living in the city with the noise and traffic and even closer neighbors was not my idea.   Did I mention I hate elevators.  I got stuck in one in college. Thankfully, we could crawl out, but since I have dislike them.  In Europe, elevators are TINY.  This one claimed to be for 5 people.  Um... maybe the five of us but not five adults.  We where going to the third floor.  It was the slowest elevator EVER!!  I immediately hated this place.  But we when walked into the apartment, I was pleasantly surprised.  It was one of the smallest places we had looked at the day. Now when I smallest.... it was still over 3000 sq ft.  Much bigger than our current house (minus the basement).  The more we walked thru the place, it grew on me.  I didn't love it but it was an interesting option.  The three pools were very nice.  OK fitness center...no where near as nice as the Italian place.  But the two perks... an afforable restaurant and a massage theapist onsite.  WooHoo!  That was it for day.  So we headed back to the hotel.  We discussed the houses that night.  Joel really liked the apartment and I agree it was a good option but I wasn't sold.  I definitely agree that the houses were too far.  But couldn't rule them out until we say the other school.  That night we ate the BEST chinese I have ever had.  I could have eaten there every night it was so good.  And we were told we ate like bird... LOL. We thought we pigged out!

Tuesday - We headed out the British School in Zek and unlike the day before, we were a half hour early.  It was a beautiful new campus and a very nice area.  Reminded me of Liberty.  We met with one of the teacher and got our tour.  Definitely, got that feeling.  And the teacher we met with would be Elly's teacher.  Elly would definitely love her.  Very good, since Elly is so sad to leave Ms. Jo.  I was pretty sold on the school.  Next we looked at houses around the school.  Yesiloba was the first stop and was my fav.  It was a mostly expat compound and all the kids went to the British school.  So the girls would have classmates to play with. It was a very safe compound....not that the area around was unsafe at all.  We looked at two houses.  The biggest was my fav.  Amazing kitchen, great deck with fireplace.  Enough rooms for the kids and still have two guest rooms and a maids room.  The agent even got the guy to knock $1000 off the price!  Next we visited the village and met the local estate agent.  The first place she took us was nice, not our style at all.  The next place was absolutely gorgoues and our style.  Only 4 bedrooms but a great yard!  Then it went down hill from there.  The next three hours were awful.  The pink house that smelled like moth balls and was from the 80s and horrible shape,  the house with the kitchen full of ants, the traditional on the outside how but very ugly Mod and cold on the inside.  Then we headed into the city for lunch at Ulus Park overlooking the Bosphorus.  It was a gorgeous day!  By then I was tired and about done.  But interested to see a HUGE garden apartment.  Unfortunately it was a big fat FAIL.  A cat had gotten trapped in the apartment for who knows how long and it SMELLED of cat urine. UGH.  I was hard to even notice anything nice about the apartment.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough.  We were so tired when we got back that we just hit happy hour for snacks and were in bed by 7pm. We will skip over the HUGE fight Joel and I had during Happy hour over the housing options.....

Wednesday - after a good nights sleep and some apologizes, we head out to check out the City Campus of the British school.  It's in the very expensive area of Etiler.  We hadn't looked at a place there yet because it's very popular and again very expensive.  I like the area and its very walking friendly.  But the school was spaced out over three buildings and it didn't have the extras that the other campus had.  It was great getting to know the headmaster and just reaffirmed that the British School was the best choice for our kids.  Our agent did find us a place in Etiler to look at that day.  Actually two in the same complex.  The first was a six floor duplex.  That was the first time I got dizzy from being that high.  And the fact that it had floor to ceiling windows freaked me out.  Nice kitchen but it was a weird layout.  The master took up the whole second floor.  Not for us.  Down please.  The next was a Garden duplex.  And I must explain a duplex.  Unlike the States, a duplex is a two story apartment, not a side by side.  This place the garden was yours to do with. It walked right out to the shared pool.  The "1st floor" was more like a basement and the bedrooms where at the enter level.  It was a decent apartment with 5 bedrooms. But they were TINY. There was no good playroom area. The kitchen fell apart while we were there and it was about that same size as our house.  But the Garden!  Oh the garden!!!  There was a door off the kitchen and the dining room and the living room.  So we decided we need to go back to Istinye apartment.  yes, Joel had convinced me for his sanity to live in the city.  As much to my dismay..... I gave up the garden for the Istinye Penthouse apartment.  I am still totally freaked.  And may never open the windows, but our agent said that we can make the balconies kid safe.  It just works so well for us.  We'll have a guest room/office/playroom and all the kids on the same floor as us.  The girls will be sharing a room again but the room is shaped for them to have their own areas. The kitchen is large with a window and a door to hide my messiness.  It will be a big change not being able to see the kids has I cook.  But the playroom is just down the hall.  It also has two parking spaces in a garage!!!  I still hate the height and the elevator but its only for 3 years and I do really like it!

Thursday - my day off!!  Joel went to work.

Friday - We headed to IKEA to check out furniture and wardrobes.  The apartment has no closets so had to figure out some storage options.  Also checked out the hardware store (we have to buy lighting) and the electronics store.  It was a successful trip!  That night we walked about Taksim the other way.  Stopped at an Irish Bar (because it was funny) and then picked up Burger King for dinner.  We ate it in Taksim Square watch some kind of parade.  I will never be able to eat US Burger King again.  It was so much better!  I got a Tendercrisp sandwich combo. First it was HOT. Second no rubber bits and the sauce was spicy and so good.

I have run out of time so I will finish with Saturday at another time!!