We left Istanbul this morning at 8:00 AM in the middle of rush hour. I was very glad we were going out of the city because the streets were like a parking lot. We traveled over over a bridge that our guide said they wanted to be in the likeness of the Golden Gate Bridge but they gave up. It was kind of cool being in Europe on one side of the bridge and Asia on the other side. We eventually reached the town of Safranbolu, near the Black Sea. It was located on the caravan route between Europe and the Orient. It is a World UNESCO site.

Walking in this town was a nightmare and of course, driving a bus was even worse. All the streets are rocks. I am not talking cobblestones but real rocks. The restaurant we went to was at least a 45 degree incline on rocks that were slippery. I was already thinking about coming down when I was going up. Thank God for the handsome Turkish waiters that helped us down. The restaurant was a magnificent inn on the Silk Road and dates back to the 17th century. The food was fabulous and included traditional Turkish salads and falafel. They even made special desserts for me and a fellow vegan.

After leaving we walked around and then were given free time to walk through the bazaar. Below our guide, Mehmet, is helping to make traditional Turkish coffee over a wood fire.