The Istanbul Archeological Museum (An Olde Poste of Early January)

(Behold!  Ancient Pagan Rites!)

Boldly flaunting our Sunday Morning Motivation in the face of a cruel Istanbul January, we ventured out under the steely gray skies of the city in search of adventure.  In search of fulfillment!  In search of enlightenment!  In search of some semblance of belonging in this rich loam of history that both buries and nourishes the rollicking garden we call Istanbul.

None of which we found.  We did, however, find a full Turkish breakfast (of which there are no photographs), the Istanbul Archeological Museum, and a straight-up cloudy nargile/backgammon cafe.  To put it in more readable terms...

Alas, our search was in vain.  Adventure, always the cruel mistress, chose not to reveal herself this day.  Our palettes whetted by the adventurous weather that the damsel left in her wake, we boldly and foolishly plunged forward, perhaps discovering even greater treasures and pleasures than we had originally intended to!  For our path, while lacking in adventure, fulfillment, and enlightenment led us to a cornucopia of cultural and historical delights the likes of which have rarely been espied by man's eyes.  These delights I shall now try to describe to you with a limited number of accompanying photographic aids...

The stone-paved entryway to Halle of Antiquarian Artefacts.  Note the few barbarous souls braving the tempest to glimpse the treasures contained within.  Note their queer dress, mannerisms, and social habits.

Ah! The ancient Quardricat of Carthage.  Carved of the finest granite quarried by fallen armies turned to slaves, this ancient feline guardianess protects the Halle of Ancient Artefacts.

 Even the heavily guarded Halle falls victim to the cruel hand of theft!  Alert the guards, and if the guards be of no use, alert...

...Baal of the ancients!

A new past-time discovered!  Tavla, the age old Turkish game of wit, logic, strategy and will!  Reaching the end of this chapter of Personal History, I put forth a challenge:  Caption of the captionless!  Provide the Secret History of the documented Artefacts!