Everything described in this post was paid for at my own expense, and I did not let anyone know in advance that I would be blogging about my experiences.
Istanbul's Topkapi Palace is supposed to be one of the hilights of any trip to Istanbul, and the kids were over the top excited about seeing a real castle. That made getting them out of the hotel this morning an easy sell.
We arrived at the palace just as it was opening. There was a huge line, but with three kids in tow, concerned locals took us under their wings and ushered us to the front of the line. Once there, guards invited us to wait in a shelter (out of the rain) with them until the museum opened.
We are used to the cold weather and rain, but the locals are not, and I wouldn't be overstating things to say that 4 out of 5 Istanbuli women think I under-dress my children for the weather. The ticket seller refused to sell me a ticket to Topkapi until I wrapped a scarf around baby Eilan (luckily I keep one handy for nursing and to cover my head in Mosques).
Just inside the entrance was a scale model of the entire palace. For D, who loves dollhouses, toy people, and anything that lets her imagination run wild, this was the highlight of the visit, and she insisted on returning to it before we could leave for the day.
E was really fascinated by the palace, and while he didn't love the crowds, he had an intellectual curiosity about what he was seeing that hadn't developed yet on our previous trips. I'm loving trying to answer his questions and it is especially fascinating to see how he is trying to relate his experiences here to the things he has learned about in school.
A crowded gallery full of religious relics might seem like the last place a 5 year old would enjoy himself (especially when there is a treasury full of jeweled swords to explore), but you never know what you might find. Many of the relics were things E could relate to (ever wonder what happened to Moses' staff? It's here!). E's main obsession on this trip has been rain gutters, so imagine our surprise when one of the most prominent features of this gallery turned out to be highly decorated gutter from Kaaba, the Muslim shrine in Mecca. (Sorry, no pictures were allowed in this gallery)
The highly decorated harem is so popular that it has a separate admission charge an a long line (which mothers of three get to skip to the front of). The kids were fascinated by the idea of an area where the women and children lived away from the men, and walking through labyrinth of rooms felt like an adventure in itself.
With small kids, the details are often the most interesting part of a building, and this was no exception - here are some pictures of the things the kids liked the best (I can't blame them - these details are gorgeous, right?)
E has been obsessed with various locks and keys for years now - and this one was fun to check out
Look at the detail on this ceiling!
E's current obsession is gutters, and the way water flows through them. Look at this ornate gutter in the Harem's open courtyard. I later read that the kids used to throw buckets of water on the courtyard patio to cool everyone down on hot days.
The best part, though, was playing "airplane" in the harem's open courtyard. I like to imagine that earlier kids played "birds" here.
After visiting the Harem, we were ready for lunch. I wish we had brought a picnic lunch to enjoy inside the palace walls (the available food options are expensive and not delicious - and there are few restaurants nearby). Just look at the view.
And check out the gardens and open areas that made this an easy place to spend the better part of a day
I often say that I pick a destination first, and then figure out how to keep the kids interested and happy second. That was certainly true of this trip to Istanbul, and with attractions like Topkapi Palace, it was relatively easy to satisfy everyone.
Related Links:
City Guide: Istanbul with Kids
Day 1: Arriving in Istanbul
Day 2: Istanbul's Aya Sofia With Kids
Filed Under:
travel-stories
4 comments |
Posted on June 2, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
Tickets for our Summer Travel Event at the Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club and Spa in Kirkland are selling fast, and I wanted to give a quick update on what's going to be happening at the event.
Trio Vintners, a local, family owned winery will be providing plenty of wine for all of us to enjoy during the event, and I'm really excited to sample these wines along with you!
Trophy Cupcakes is baking fresh cupcakes for our event! If you haven't had a chance to try Trophy yet, you'll be delighted. Trophy was just voted Seattle's best cupcake shop in Seattle Magazine's Reader Poll, and the cupcakes are not only delicious, but oh-so-pretty.
Door Prizes
Here are a few of the great door prizes we'll be giving away:
- One lucky attendee will receive an Escape to the Lake package at the Woodmark Hotel which includes an overnight stay and breakfast for two.
- The Woodmark is also offering a drawing for a $100 Spa credit at the new NW Face Spa at the Woodmark opening in July.
- One lucky attendee will win a gift card for a Dozen Trophy Cupcakes
Gift Bags
Our gift bags are filling up fast, and while I'm not quite ready to divulge a complete list of what's inside, I will tell you that it will all be packed in a cute roll-up Tote from Lands' End. We have a nice mix of gifts inside from ranging from local companies like BabyLegs to Malie Kai Chocolates bars from The Islands of Hawaii (did you know that Hawaii is the only state in the U.S that grows chocolatei?)
Plus, myself and fellow traveling mamas Michelle Duffy, of Wandermom, Anne Taylor Hartzell of HipTravelMama and Lora Shinn of CascadiaKids will be answering questions and providing inspiration for your family vacations this summer!
Reserve Your Spot
We have a limited number of slots, so buy your tickets here.
Details:
When: June 03, 2010 6:00 PM-9:00 PM
Where: Great Room at the Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club and Spa in Kirkland. Directions.
Who: My friends (and fellow traveling mamas) Michelle Duffy, of Wandermom, Anne Taylor Hartzell of HipTravelMama and Lora Shinn of CascadiaKids and I will be hosting.
What: We'll have as short travel panel so that you can ask your questions about traveling with kids. Each of us has a different area of expertise, so this is a great event whether you have young kids, older kids, love luxury, want to backpack, dream of seeing the world, or want to hear about some excellent local adventures. After the panel, we'll all hang out, drink wine, snack on the Woodmark's tasty appetizers and talk travel!
Tickets:Buy your tickets here for $22. The price includes appetizers, wine, a fabulous swag bag, and the chance to win some really lovely (and valuable) door prizes.
P.S. We owe a huge "thank you" to the Woodmark Hotel for hosting this event. Click here for a list of other events and special packages
Filed Under:
blogging
3 comments |
Posted on May 28, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
I love mirror photos, but so rarely remember to take them. In this one, you can spot Me, D (in the stroller) and E (twice!). This beautiful old mirror in graced the entrance to the Harem in Istanbul's Topkapi Palace.
Related Links:
City Guide: Istanbul with Kids
Arriving in Istanbul
Hagia Sofia with Kids
Photo Friday:
Share a favorite travel photo by participating in Photo Friday. Please make sure that you link to your post directly so that I don't delete it by mistake. If your url is longer than 100 characters, you will need to use a url shortening service, like bit.ly
First timers, here is
more Information about Photo Friday
Filed Under:
photo-friday
4 comments |
Posted on May 27, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
I want to thank everyone who entered to my giveaway for a San Antonio Family Vacation valued at $950.
The randomly selected winner was V Clay who recommended many kid friendly activities, restaurants and hotels in San Antonio and elsewhere. Her winning entry was for The Kiddie Park amusement park in San Antonio where your child can ride as many rides as they'd like for just $12!
Didn't win this time? There are still more San Antonio Giveaways you can enter. Click here for a list of all the giveaways.
I have another great giveaway starting soon. Be sure to check back (or subscribe so that you don't miss a thing).
Many thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for generously sponsoring this giveaway.
Related Links:
What to do in San Antonio With Kids
1 comment |
Posted on May 22, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
We ended up with an unexpected long layover in Heathrow on our way to Istanbul. My husband and I, of course, were fit to be tied, but the kids didn't mind at all. The extra time on the ground gave them a chance to count pictures of London Busses, eat some pizza, and cuddle up with this bear at the airport Harrods.
Related Links:
City Guide: Istanbul with Kids
Arriving in Istanbul
Hagia Sofia with Kids
Photo Friday:
Share a favorite travel photo by participating in Photo Friday. Please make sure that you link to your post directly so that I don't delete it by mistake. If your url is longer than 100 characters, you will need to use a url shortening service, like bit.ly
First timers, here is
more Information about Photo Friday
Filed Under:
photo-friday
3 comments |
Posted on May 20, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
Today is your last chance to enter our free giveaway to win a Family Vacation in San Antonio valued at $950 .
If you have already entered, but want to add your recommendations for kid-friendly activities, restaurants, or hotels to DeliciousBaby for more chances to win, now is the time! Each recommendation will earn five extra entries in the giveaway (recommendations in San Antonio earn seven extra entries).
Just visit this article: San Antonio Vacation Giveaway and follow the instructions.
Filed Under:
giveaways
0 comments |
Posted on May 20, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
I am super excited to be co-hosting a mom's night out on June 3 at the lovely Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club and Spa in Kirkland. Before I get into the details, let me just say that this event is going to be fun. Really fun. There will be appetizers, wine, fabulous gift bags, and door prizes that will knock your socks off. Plus we will be chatting about family vacations - my very favorite topic in the world. To top it all off, everyone will get a signed copy of Michelle Duffy's book Wanderlust and Lipstick: Traveling with Kids
We have a limited number of slots, so buy your tickets here.
Now, here are the details:
When: June 03, 2010 6:00 PM-9:00 PM
Where: Great Room at the Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club and Spa in Kirkland. Directions.
Who: My friends (and fellow traveling mamas) Michelle Duffy, of Wandermom, Anne Taylor Hartzell of HipTravelMama and Lora Shinn of CascadiaKids and I will be hosting.
What: We'll have as short travel panel so that you can ask your questions about traveling with kids. Each of us has a different area of expertise, so this is a great event whether you have young kids, older kids, love luxury, want to backpack, dream of seeing the world, or want to hear about some excellent local adventures. After the panel, we'll all hang out, drink wine, snack on the Woodmark's tasty appetizers and talk travel!
Tickets:Buy your tickets here for $22. The price includes appetizers, one glass of wine (a cash bar is also available), a fabulous swag bag, and the chance to win some really lovely (and valuable) door prizes.
P.S. We owe a huge "thank you" to the Woodmark Hotel for hosting this event. Click here for a list of other events and special packages
Filed Under:
blogging
3 comments |
Posted on May 17, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
Somewhere amongst our souvenirs is a posed family portrait of us dressed up in traditional Turkish clothing. E refused to participate (he doesn't like dressup), Eilan was scared of the headgear and cried through the whole thing, and D refused to sit the way the photographer wanted to pose her. You know what I love more? This shot. My husband snapped it as D was getting dressed - and her glee is the reason we decided to take the family portrait in the first place.
Related Links:
City Guide: Istanbul with Kids
Arriving in Istanbul
Hagia Sofia with Kids
Photo Friday:
Share a favorite travel photo by participating in Photo Friday. Please make sure that you link to your post directly so that I don't delete it by mistake. If your url is longer than 100 characters, you will need to use a url shortening service, like bit.ly
First timers, here is
more Information about Photo Friday
Filed Under:
photo-friday
10 comments |
Posted on May 14, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
I always have a running list of travel destinations I'm plotting to visit. It makes my family's life tricky, as I stockpile books, movies, magazine articles and knowledge about each place on my "bucket" list. Lately, I've been daydreaming about a trip to Texas. Besides the access to unlimited BBQ, I'm interested in the area's rich frontier history and its Spanish Missions. So when the San Antonio Visitor's Bureau asked whether I'd be interested in giving away a San Antonio Vacation Package to one lucky reader, I jumped at the chance!
I am happy to be one of 12 sites hosting the SAVE Summer Sweepstakes that will give you and your family twelve chances to explore all that San Antonio has to offer for an entire weekend. You can find a
complete list of all the giveaways here, and a new giveaway starts every day until May 21st.
Here's what I'm giving away:
- Two Nights at the Drury Inn & Suites San Antonio Riverwalk
Passes for four to:
- San Antonio Botanical Garden
- Tower of the Americas/Skies Over Texas 4D Theatre Ride
- Enchanted Springs Ranch
- Guinness World Records Museum
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
How To Enter
One lucky reader can win.
If you would like a chance to win, leave a comment before 11:59PM PST on May 20 2010 and recommend one family friendly activity, restaurant or shop in a city near you. Please include your email address in the comment form (your email isn't shared with anyone, and I will not send you email unless you win).
How to Earn More Chances to Win
There are several ways you can get additional entries in this contest. Each takes only a few minutes!
- Been to San Antonio? Recommend a kid-friendly attraction, restaurant or hotel in San Antonio to receive seven additional entries. It takes only a few minutes, and it is a great way to share your favorite places with other parents. To make a recommendation, just Click Here
- Recommend a kid-friendly attraction, restaurant or hotel in our city guides to receive five additional entries. It takes only a few minutes, and it is a great way to share your favorite places with other parents. To make a recommendation, just Click Here
- Subscribe to my RSS feed (either by reader or email) using the buttons on the top left-hand side of the page. Leave another comment telling me you did.
- If you have a blog, write about any article you enjoyed on DeliciousBaby, or write about the place you hope to visit, and link back to one of our kid friendly city guides. Leave a comment telling me you did so and show me the link where I can find it!
Winners
We will choose a winner randomly and announce the results here on Saturday May 22 2010. Many thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for generously sponsoring this giveaway.
Rules
Please, only one comment per person per giveaway post (except as outlined above where the comment is related to an extra entry). Duplicate comments and Anonymous comments will be discarded. Please make sure that the email address in your comment form is valid (email addresses are never public). Winners must claim their prize within three business days after the date of notification of such prize. A Sweepstakes winner's failure to respond to the prize notification within the specified three business days will be considered such Sweepstakes winner's forfeiture of the prize and an alternate winner may be selected from the pool of eligible entries. If an entrant is found to be ineligible, an alternate winner may also be selected from the pool of eligible entries. To enter, you must be a U.S. resident, age 18 or older. Employees, partners and vendors of DeliciousBaby and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter. We will disqualify any entries that we believe are generated by scripts and other automated technology. When applicable, the winner may be required to execute and return within five business days an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Liability and Publicity Release to be eligible for the prize or an alternate winner will be selected. All prizes will be awarded. No substitutions including for cash are permitted, except that DeliciousBaby reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater monetary value for any prize. Winners shall be responsible and liable for all federal, state and local taxes on the value of their prize. Transportation to San Antonio is not included.
Related Links:
If you don't win, you can still Sign up to receive special offers and the latest updates on San Antonio events and happenings:
Be sure to visit and enter on all 12 sites for the best chance of winning!
Contest Schedule:
May
10th
The Lost Girls
May
11th
NY City Mama
May
12th
Traveling Mom
May
13th
Mom in the City
May
14th
Delicious Baby
May
15th
Traveling Mamas
May
16th
Jet With Kids
May
17th
Mother of All Trips
May
18th
The Q Family Adventures
May
19th Have Baby Will Travel
May
20th
Travelogged
May
21st
Theme Park Mom
Filed Under:
giveaways
374 comments |
Posted on May 14, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
I'd like to pretend that my kids were appropriately impressed with the thousand year old mosaics at Hagia Sofia. They weren't. What really caught their interest was this cat, who was warming itself in the spotlights.
So there we sat, in front of some fabulous mosiacs, with me explaining that lights generate heat, and that cats like to be warm. It's a good reminder that you, as the parent, don't get to choose what's going to be interesting - but you do get to choose whether you take a moment to enjoy and understand whatever you happen to find on your trip.
Related Links:
City Guide: Istanbul with Kids
Arriving in Istanbul
Hagia Sofia with Kids
Photo Friday:
Share a favorite travel photo by participating in Photo Friday. Please make sure that you link to your post directly so that I don't delete it by mistake. If your url is longer than 100 characters, you will need to use a url shortening service, like bit.ly
First timers, here is
more Information about Photo Friday
Filed Under:
photo-friday
11 comments |
Posted on May 6, 2010 |
Save to del.icio.us
