After spending three long days sightseeing in Istanbul, we've decided to take off for Bulgaria. We're (hopefully) fully prepared with new warm clothes but don't have much planned other than an overnight train to Veliko Tarnovo, an ancient capitol with lots of castles and rivers. We may be in the area for a few days, depending on how we like it, if not, we'll continue north to Romania. I'll keep you updated!

Well, Istanbul, you're just so much fun and amazing, I'm not sure I can do you justice, but I'll try! After 30 plus hours of traveling from Sri Lanka and up through Kiev, we landed in Istanbul. Immediately, we fell in love with the city. Coming in on the metro at dusk was a real treat. All the lights in the city were coming on, illuminating the thousands of mosques! After all the temples we've seen in the last two years throughout Asia, this was a welcome sigh...