Raki and Istanbulwinkle do the Gypsy two step

Christ Mary get over yourself I'm the one on the cross!
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It was a slow start up yesterday morning after breakfast at the guesthouse, a stop for coffee at our neighborhood cafe that serves real coffee not nescafe which is the usual coffee other than Turkish.  We had a trip to two post offices and an hour on internet before we managed to actually take the tram to the city bus.  Then figure out the correct bus and then take said bus past the Valens Aqueduct out to the edge of the old Ottoman wall to the Kariye museum which is the best restoration of Byzantine church art.

Inside one of the domes of the Kariya Museum
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We had seen a lot of photos of this church at the Pera museum exhibit and consequently I was determined to check it out.  It is a small church that was covered with mosaic and fresco.   A great deal has been restored from being completely painted over when it served as a mosque.  You understand the power of golden mosaic tiles when you see the light shining on the walls illuminating the figures of Christ, Mary and other biblical figures with this shining glow around them.  It is hard to take a bad photo of them.

ONe of the mosaics depicting a tale from the bible orthodox style
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That was the extent of our historical touring for the day.  Our timing was directed by meeting up with Bunny's group and seeing the Romany music festival.

We got back way early to meet the group so we decided to stroll back to our guesthouse and suddenly realized we were staying literally in the center of the Romany music festival.  There was a gypsy strolling band blocking our way.  We walked the festival route and found abundant food, music stages and intriquing side streets where the Gypsies live in Istanbul.

A strolling gypsy band
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There were 6 stages and numerous acts.  Performers were from Bosnia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece and I have no idea how many other places.  A whole area was devoted to the local community musicians.  These people know how to kick up the heels.  Young women were completely comfortable dancing and so were young men and old men and women and children.  In fact I saw whole families dancing together encouraging the youngest.  A 20 year old very attractive young woman danced with the lead singer and then a 60 year old woman did the same.  And then a small girl of 5 got into the act.

A wall of wishes
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Phenomenal guitarists, clarinetists, accordian and tuba players.  There were percussionists and saxophones and instruments I don't know the names of.

There were spicy tomato based sandwiches with greens and lamb kebobs, pastries savory and sweet, stuffed mussels, fish sandwiches and so much more.

We were passing a spot where a local man was interviewing people from the crowd about the event.  He asked us where we were from and then asked to interview us.  We gushed appropriately about the event and the Turks in general and then they took a picture of us as a memento.

One of the incredibly cute kids on a childs stage
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I let Bunny continue the night by herself but before we stopped for a nightcap.  While she was drinking a Raki - the local anise flavored grape brandy we came up with our new names: Raki and Istanbulwinkle.   She is Raki for your edification.