We embarked from the hotel early in order to catch a Sky Airways flight back to Istanbul. Arriving midday, we checked back into the Grand Anka and departed for a meal at Fetih Koleji, a private high school whose grounds we toured. Asuman Dayi, one of the program's major sponsors and a longtime friend of Istanbul Center, joined us for the meal. Brittany was thrilled to encounter French fries among the Turkish components of the lunch. During the subsequent school tour, Kalyn was particularly taken with the kindergarteners' bathroom toilets, which were shaped like frogs.
The group next ventured to Pierre Loti, a hill in the Eyup neighborhood that overlooks a sweeping and quite beautiful graveyard. With a spectacular view of the European side of the city after a cable car ride to the top, it was a nice, relaxing break in stellar surroundings.
After some deft bus maneuvering through Istanbul's notorious traffic, we made our way to the Austrian Consulate, where we partook in a lecture-recitation by pianist and Ottoman-era music expert Evren Kulay, a professor at the city's Koc University. With some beautiful music under our belts and historic explanations to match them, we had a late dinner at Pirpirim, which specializes in Southeastern Turkish food. Then off to bed in anticipation of our last full day in Istanbul...
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