Our last day in Turkey started with another market - the Egyptian Spice Bazaar. What a scene! This offered much more local flavor than the Grand Bazaar, and the aromas were delectable. From there we went to visit the Jewish sections of town. This land has been very hospitable to Jews for a long time, and Turkey is really the only Muslim country in the world right now with strong ties to Israel. Perhaps it's not a coincidence that it is also the only democratic state in the Islamic world. Still, security was tight and we couldn't make it inside Neve Shalom, Istanbul's main synagogue. Instead we wandered through the neighborhood and had lunch with a view atop the Galata Tower - the original lookout for the city, built more than 1500 years ago. Eventually it was time to say goodbye, but not before one last picture in front of our hotel.
