More from the protests.  They’re all wrapped up at this point.  No more tear gas and all the windows have been repaired.

The final day saw a lot of police, a lot of heavy vehicles, a lot of cameras, and much less violence.

Adding to the overall intense and eerie scene at the protests was a police helicopter that would slowly circle over the streets as the riot police moved through the alleys.

Today a series of protests kicked off in Tasksim, a central section of Istanbul about 10 minutes from our apartment.  I swung by and grabbed some photos of the aftermath, but the tear gas was still so heavy in the air your eyes sung.

You can read more about the protests here, here, and here.

So far the news is basically that there are in fact protests and the police are using tear gas and water cannons.

Taksim is the home to the seeming majority of Istanbul’s nightlife (there are exceptions to this, but they’re more than just slightly out of our price range.)  Its a large main street that branches out into dozens of winding, stacked alleys with terrace after terrace of small cafes, sprawling restaurants and bars.  Its a cozy, bustling, towering kind of place I haven’t seen exactly anywhere else in the world.  Perfect for relaxing with friends or starting a night out.