There aren't any pictures of the children at the Sultanahmet (also known as the Blue Mosque) or the Hagia Sophia, two of Istanbul's most magnificant sites. They fussed, whined, cried, stomped and complained their way through the self-guided tours. Tip? You can stay home or you can see the world. Seeing the world means that you won't get to hire the tour guide and hear all the details from history about some of the world's greatest sites. It means that you won't get to visit all the museums or catch the best dinners & late night shows. But, it does mean that you'll get to spend time with your kids in a way that takes you well beyond the park and introduce them to art, architecture, history, culture, geography, politics and so much more in ways that books, teachers, classrooms and schools never will be able to. If only they were a little older.....At 5 years and 10 months, Alex and Serene cruised the streets of Istanbul from a stroller and baby carrier. In a few years, when the history teacher talks about Constantinople, my kids will be able to show off their pictures of the biggest arcade in Istanbul complete with go-karts, McDonalds and the hotel swimming pool. I guess they'll have to learn about Ataturk from the history teacher.
