Part 2
At the Çırağan Palace, we hold the first business meeting that afternoon and the welcome reception that evening. The sponsors introduce the new members.
The next day starts the scientific session. I got my paper out of the way. Then, a group of us went on the Ottoman Visions tour to the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. We return with a little time to spare before the dinner cruise on the Bosphorus.
On Friday morning, Feza ran the book club, going over Orhan Pamuk’s book My Name is Red. Afterwards, I visit the new side of town. For dinner, I meet Talha and Ibrahim, who are students on the Asian side. Serkan had introduced us. After dinner, we enjoy the beautiful views of Istanbul from a cafe in Çamlıca.
