It was our first free day today, so the group parted ways for the afternoon. Many went shopping at the Spice and Grand Bazaars. Others went for a walk or jog along the Bosphorous Strait, admiring the royal blue waters. Some decided that it would be a great afternoon to explore museums, while others decided that hanging out near the hotel was a great way to have a relaxing vacation day.
Shore of the Bosphorous Strait
Right outside of the Spice Bazaar
Around 6:00 PM the group reunited to meet with Kristina Wilforce at the Turquoise Restaurant. Kristina grew up in the US, and made it her career to work in international women's development. She now lives in Istanbul. She had many insights on Turkish gender studies from a political perspective. She explained that Turkey is very much a "man's world" because the men are out in the streets working while the women are at home. She also expressed concern that the AKP (party currently in power) is detrimental to gender equality and that the upcoming election is crucial to the direction of the women's movement. In her opinion, the HDP (democratic Kurdish party) provides the most hope for addressing issues for not only women, but also for LBGT activists.
View from the rooftop at the Turquoise Restaurant
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