back in Istanbul

Back in Istanbul and this week has been like trying to stop a freight train with my bare hands. From the day we landed until today we have been working all day till 10pm at night, and up at 7am to be at the partners home office by 8am. I haven't been this tired since I worked at Woodfield during Christmas- seriously!
One of the evenings I was able to go to dinner at a new place in the city- the Taksim Square area- and the other nights we've been at the mall.
Our hotel is ok- it's up hin the business district central to both the offices and the new store, so it is a business hotel- not the W by any stretch. The best part is the gym here. It is huge, with a big turkish "hammam" as they call it- or Turkish Bath. It is done like the old town baths and is very popular with the locals so it is not at all a "small hotel gym".
Atop of the working out- the food here is SO healthy. I was going through withdrawls for fats and sugars. Everything is rice stuffed grapeleaves and fresh seafood and rice, and chicken, and vegetables. It has been very good, but as horrible as it sounds, I really want to find a Chili's. :-)
Attached are some pictures of the Taksim Square / Istiklal Street area. It was sooo crowded I could not believe it and they said this was a light traffic day!
The picture of the ceiling is at one of the shops in the Istiklal street- so pretty!