jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Couldn't make it to "Happy Mood of Istanbul" today, do I went here instead. #travel #istanbul "
(taken at The Pudding Shop)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Underground cistern. #istanbul #travel #gorgeous "
(taken at Yerebatan Sarnıcı)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Entrance to Grand Bazaar. #istanbul #travel #shopping"
(taken at grand bazaar)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Post Hamami glow. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Cemberlitas Hamami)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Hagia Sophia. #istanbul #travel #gorgeous"
(taken at Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia))

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Blue Mosque. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Blue Mosque)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Getting my cocktail on. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Sugar & Spice)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"If anyone is looking for me, I'll be in here! #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Happy mood)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Istanbul as views from the Bosphorus. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Ortaköy İskelesi)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"The harem girls at another palace. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Dolmabahçe)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"4.5 tons, 450 lights, a gift from Queen Victoria, this is the world's largest chandelier. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Dolmabahçe Sarayı)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

" Fireworks over the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Republic Day, anniversary of the declaration of the Republic. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Ceylan InterContinental Hotel)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"The Harem Girls. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Topkapı Sarayı)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Good morning, on 29 October 1923, Mustafa Kemal declared that Turkey would be a republic. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Galata Antique Hotel)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

Hagia Sophia

Note the people at the bottom of the photo to give the size of the building some scale.

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Beluga cavier + vodka. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Galata Antique Hotel)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Your photographer hard at work. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia))

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Hagia Sophia dome. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia))

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"First morning, view from hotel. #istanbul #travel "
(taken at Galata Antique Hotel)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"It's 6 am in Istanbul. I've got jet lag and the MOST AMAZING VIEW of Hagia Sophia. #Istanbul #travel"
(taken at Galata Antique Hotel)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul

Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul... We've just arrived in all three!

We started our day in Palm Springs.  I still had some minor packing to accomplish and let's be honest, I was kind of freaking out about how far away we were about to be and how long we are to be gone.  I can't just stop into Target and pick up more deodorant if I run out. But it all got done and about an hour behind schedule we loaded up the truck and headed for... errands.

I still had errands to run before we left town.  After they were all done, we were finally on the road to... Orange County. (hey, I thought we were flying out of LAX?) oh yeah, we had to drop off Mr Cooper with friends who are looking after him.  We dropped Cooper off about 4:30 and by 5:30 we were finally on the road to... West Hollywood.  Where we picked up our friend Tony who is using our car while we are gone.  Then at last we were ready to go to... LAX!

Our flight left at 9:30 pm and we flew via London.  By the time we got to Istanbul we had been traveling over 28 hours.  I'm happy to report, we looked fresh (I can't vouch for how we smelled).

I like to think I am used to traveling to far away places.  I do a fair bit of reading travel books, websites, reviews, current events... I like ot be prepared.  Everything felt fairly mundane until we got on our flight for Turkey.  Everyone around us was speaking some language I had no comprehension of.  Uh, okay, it's starting to feel "foreign".  I got very excited.

On our approach for landing, our plane flew right over Istanbul and we could see the mosques, minarets, the bridges crossing the river... everything the guide books spoke about where right there under my seat!

We cleared customs, got our luggage and met our car and driver to take us into our hotel.  All the guide books tell you not to drive in Istanbul  They also tell you not to drive in Paris and we've done that.  After Los Angeles driving, it takes a lot to get to me.

HOLY CRAP!  Istanbul is not a place to drive!  Streets go from 5 lanes to one, intersections are barely observed.  It reminded me of being in a taxi in China and my rule was, give them the address, buckle up and close you eyes.  Tonight on our way to the hotel we were cruising down what was obviously a one way street, only one lane for cars, all cars parked on one side going the same direction, and then we cam up on 5 taxis all coming the other way to pick people up at a nightclub.  All five had to back up to a wider spot in the road to let us go by.  Also saw a pizza delivery motorcycle going down the sidewalk, and another taxi merge into a street by way of the pedestrian island (over it, through posts).  I would never drive here.  I'm already afraid to walk outside.

It's 2:30 in the morning. I need to sleep to reset my clock.  Tomorrow, I'm going out for  a walk!

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"We have arrived!"
(taken at istanbul)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Connecting..."
(taken at Terminal 5)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Settle back in your seat, it's a loooonnnnnggggg flight. "
(taken at Gate 120)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Ladies and gentlemen, please sit back, relax and enjoy your pre-flight cocktail. "
(taken at LAX International Lounge)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Packing for 17 days. Travel article says "brights are in" for where I'm headed. Good thing, it's all I own!"

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Book of Mormon. "
(taken at Book of Mormon @ Pantages Theatre)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"My two favorite boys. #mrcooper "

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Paws awhile. #mrcooper "

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Brunch at the beach, bitches!"
(taken at The Rooftop Lounge)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"The pretzel by #mrcooper "
(taken at Tangerine Dream)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Dinner tonight, poolside. #palmsprings "
(taken at Tangerine Dream)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"MARGARITA TIME!!!"
(taken at Margarita's)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Celebrating 23 years together and 8 years legally married. (I swear we met when we were ten). "
(taken at Norma's)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Washington State (above) vs. California (below) you could save $22.76!"
(taken at Costco Wholesale)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"My house is worth what? Ass... "

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Someone just brought me coffee in bed. I love that man! "
(taken at Tangerine Dream)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"How gay was I gonna be? When I was 4 I had a twinset.#NationalComingOutDay"

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"#mrcooper on his morning walk. #palmsprings "
(taken at Tangerine Dream)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Airplanes on the street today. #palmsprings "
(taken at Parade of Planes)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving! I am extra thankful twice a year. "
(taken at Tangerine Dream)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Heavy on the "-ish". "
(taken at Pac Sun)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

jim kehl shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

jim kehl just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Prickly pears, red and green. I'm already thinking Christmas! "
(taken at Cardenas Supermarket)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team