Three Stans - Friday Istanbul

A report on the Central Palace Hotel which is in a largely pedestrian only street south of Taksim about 3 blocks from the Divan and the Sheraton which is now the Intercontinental. This is a solid medium priced hotel with large rooms...mine has a huge bath with a diabolical looking shower (comeplete with a jacuzzi and steam bath feature which I cant begin to figure out)...this is largely a reworking of a late 19th century tall Ottoman era building which has been redone in what I would call Dubai Baroque...lots of guilding; lots of fake egyptian stuff; lots of brocade....but I rather like it. It is what new rich Dallas would build if they were from Adanaç Breakfast just now was a dream with homemade yoghurt, twelve kinds of Turkish breads, even little crepes with maple syrup and lots of home made jellies some from fruit which looks peculiarin its purple or mauve sheen....bring the hotel up on Google and you will get a good picture of things! Aysegul comes in an hour and we will do the latest exhibits including one on the new city which contrasts Istanbul with London, Vienna and Chicago at the Istanbul Modern...it's a great museum and this should be fun. From the land of Insallah