Things to Do with Kids in Istanbul: Ihlamur Kasrı

Close to the apartment we stay in in Beşiktaş is a small and perfectly formed park called Ihlamur Kasrı (Linden Pavilion). The 1TL entrance fee and park attendants ensures that it is always clean and safe (although not always open). The two small palaces or pavilions, Narnia lamp-posts and roses make for a magical shift once you enter its gates. Its wonderful in winter too.

Today I took the two littlest for a series of minor rebellions. I wanted Neve to put her feet into clover for the first time. The little stone house in Yorkshire that I left to come here was near to a clover field as lush as you are ever likely to see. Happy cows munched the oversized leaves all day. It sloped upwards, and so, as you climbed over the stile at the bottom, clover (and cows) was all you could see. How we would love our children to be racing down that hill barefoot towards us. But in Istanbul even a quick dipping of toes requires some determination and furtive action! I waited till there was no one too close and lifted Neve from her blanket to grasp clover in her hands. Almost immediately I was spotted by the type of woman for whom dirt means certain death. She marched towards me shouting my irresponsibility, but I was ready. 'ENOUGH' I shouted loudly, giving Anton a start. She turned away from me muttering and Neve giggled as the grass tickled her toes. Round 1 to me. Then there was the high wall that Anton walked the top of enough times for me to be told off by several groups (I just focused on taking pictures and looking like the crazed hippy they believed me to be). Luckily there was no one around when he did the first actually daft thing and try to taste the water from a very old tap. Luckily it didn't yield as I was just snapping away. Whoops!


Showing Neve his first conker of the year.

Little Lady.

Anton and organic matter!

Dirty nails.

Chubby chops.

In clover.

Look Neve.

Paper cup.

Taxi.

Boy meets girl.


Sharing.

On the wall.

Above me.

Playing in history.

Reaching.

Up the tap.

Mmmmm.

Anton!

 Visit the Facebook page or the Twitter page of this blog

5 thoughts on “Things to Do with Kids in Istanbul: Ihlamur Kasrı

  1. Do not excuse for the number of pictures... every single one is worth to be posted... so lovely! My favorite is the first one... the two siblings together! They are to fall in love for!

    ReplyDelete
  2. We too have a lovely gloverfield around here near Heaven Farm in East Sussex where I took some delightful pictures with our children. The lush green and the soft plants are just perfect for little ones to sit on and to grab. Well done, Julia for standing up to these woman also. Advise is one thing, but interference is another. And in the end they are your kids and everybody can see that you are doing a good job! Compliments also on these really beautyful pictures. You can capture moods and delight so well!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I also think every one is worth posting! They are all lovely, and so are your children! Sounds like you all had fun, despite the grouchyness of others. Hooray for you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow awesome to see other little half Finns! :) Your blog is very interesting and the pictures are so beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks everyone! I actually felt quite happy with these pictures and it was such a lovely few hours.

    ReplyDelete

Proudly powered by Blogger
Theme: Esquire by Matthew Buchanan.
Converted by LiteThemes.com.