Tulips.

Well I started the week determined, in a relaxed kind of way, to photograph some of the tulips that Istanbul is famous for this time of year. Then Anton got ill yet again, and when I actually got out of the apartment for half an hour the rich colours of the tulips in the bright sunshine just didn't appeal as much as this little patch of white flowers under a tree. Tuesday was a public holiday here and as Anton seemed a little better we dosed him up with calpol, put him in the pushchair wearing his pyjamas under a blanket, and took the boat to Üsküdar. We walked along the shore with hundreds of other people enjoying that time off had coincided with glorious sunshine, and then carried Anton up to a roof terrace cafe to bask. Happily the sun seemed to revive him and as we walked back he asked to get up and play. He rushed off and came back with the gift of a tulip. Job done.

Being in the sunshine was such a boost that I decided to spend Wednesday walking along the Bosphorus from Emirgan to Bebek, after a visit to the Sakıp Sabancı Museum. The area lining the Bosphorus is paradise in the sunshine. The beauty of the water, abundant flowers and wooden villas is perfection. One of my life-changing helpers, Florence, was with me making two kids very light work and lots of pleasure.

After a great morning at Atölye 5 on Thursday we wandered down Bağdat Caddesi and then took a dolmuş to to the Beşiktaş ferry terminal in Kadiköy. I have decided to stop apologising for the amount of pictures I take on boats and just say that this week's vapur pictures show how, now that it is warm enough for people to be sat outside on the benches on the sides, Neve has a new opportunity for making vapur friends.

Today, Anton bouncy as a bean, we took some of the kiddos' favourite toys to enjoy a picnic and it seemed like a really good moment to indulge in one of the ladybird cakes Anton has been admiring for a long time. I am also glad that Neve understands that one of the things she should do in life is to go and crawl into beautiful patches of light!

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