Obviously the traffic got heavier as we got nearer to the city, and our accommodation is right in the heart in the Sultanhamet district. Our driver started through a series of very narrow backstreets, where turning corners sometimes required backing up and realigning the car into the gap, backing up sometimes if a larger vehicle was coming the other way, etc.
Welcome to Istanbul !! We dropped our bags off and started exploring !
A short but very steep uphill walk from our accommodation to a tram stop. A very helpful local showed us how to purchase a pass and put money on it. Before I thanked him I asked about the remaining 200 TKL we had given him, which he then also placed onto our pass. What a guy, were we being scammed !
So off we went, Tania had it all sorted .. a tram to Taksim Square then walk the entire length of Istiklal Street, the main retail pedestrian street in Istanbul. Walked back over the Galata Bridge, lots of fishermen catching very small fish. Then we made our way through the Spice Market, wandered through the back streets and nearly got lost. Graeme was exhausted .. lack of sleep so an early night
We stopped off at the Istanbul Railway Station and had a coffee at the Orient Express Cafe and checked out the museum room there.
On the tram again back to Sultanhamet stop, where our next tour was starting of the Basilica Cistern, once again Davi was our guide, which was making it familiar.
The Basilica Cistern was a jaw dropping moment on entry. The place is 140 metres long and 70 metres wide and in its day held water over 7 metres high. Wow what engineering and building skills the Romans had.
Because the first tour of the day took longer than expected, it threw Tania's tour itinerary out the door, so plan B, Basilica Cistern was changed from 11.30 to 13.30 and Topkapi Palace was added to the agenda for 15.30.
We were a bit early for the Topkapi Palace getting there at 14:45 and surprise, surprise, Davi had not long started the 14:30 tour. We were able to join in and spent 3 hours exploring this palace museum.
Topkapi Palace was used by the Ottomans prior to the Dolmabahce Palace being completed, itself had only been completed for a short time.
On the way home stopped at a kebab restaurant for dips, kebabs and baklava ..... YUM !
On the way back to our apartment, we got our first look at the Grand Bazaar located not far from our hotel ! We entered at 18:45 and it was closing at 19:00. s So just a quick look as it is closed all day tomorrow.
Today's re-arranged Tania tour schedule includes the Hagia Sophia at 9:45 and the Blue Mosque and Hippodrome at 11:45 !
Beginning its life as a Byzantine Orthodox Christian church and currently now an Islamic Mosque, it is a bridge between the two religions. There are many Christian icons in the church, some are removed, defaced or covered, but others remain. Certainly worth the visit.
Next was the Blue Mosque, constructed by the Ottoman Sultans and very different in decorations internally. The view of the outside of the mosque from the courtyard was absolutely stunning,
It seems most civilisations are represented throughout the history of Istanbul. Next visit was the Hippodrome, the chariot racing circuit constructed by the Romans.
During the Nika Riots in 532 CE, Byzantine emperor Justinian I ordered the killing of 30,000 people locked in the Hippodrome of Constantinople.
During the Byzantine period, the Hippodrome was the centre of the Constantinopolitans’ everyday life.
Tonight we booked a Bosphorus cruise and dinner. Picked up from the hotel at 19:15, arrived at the boat at 20:00, were seating and started eating a 3 course meal. The boat left the dock around 21:30 to cruise the Bosphorus. Entertainment had already started, singing, dancing, whirling dervish, folk dancing etc. It was a great night and we were delivered back to our hotel by midnight. There was some hair raising moments with the drive to and from the dinner, they are absolutely crazy drivers over here !!!
Today we headed to Balat / Fener district, famous for Ottoman styled multi coloured wooden housing. Caught a tram and walked for about 30 mins along the coast, in amongst road works to get there. Another hot day with temperature in the low 30's.
Wasn't as impressed or we couldn't find them after about 2 hours wandering around the area, but there were other interesting buildings and shops. It is also an old district popular with tourists. After a borek for lunch while sitting in the local park, we had our first exposure to the "shoe shine scam" !! 2 men walked by us, one dropped his brush right in front of us, I saw it, but Tania was eating and didn't. I didn't say anything as he walked on. He eventually turned back after realising I wasn't going to call out and he picked it up. He then offered us a shoe shine - I pointed to our hiking boots (NOT leather) and raised my hands ... he was still willing to try !
Walked back into town for our visit to the Grand Bazaar, there was a 16.30 tour using our Istanbul E-Pass, which turned out to be a waste of time. We were hoping for some history, information of location of varous types of stalls and how to best negotiate the lanes of the bazaar. But this was the worst tour, the guide only walked us into the main entrance, up and down one lane and that was it - left to our devices.
Not to be put off we took the challenge along with a general map Tania downloaded before leaving home! It turns out the bazaar is not really hard to negotiate, there are no real areas that specialise in certain goods, there are many repetitive stalls selling the same items. We did suceed in buying some Turkish towels for ourselves and a friend and we stayed until closing time - 19:00.
Headed back to hotel to pack our suitcasses which we will leave in Istanbul, and preapre a carry on only for our flight tomorrow to Cappadocia. A 6.30 transport collection was arranged.
Welcome to Istanbul, indeed.
Will you please pay more attention to your typos. I understand though. Tania packs so much into entry day that you have little enough time to punch your journal entries out, let alone proof read them before hitting the go button.
When is the Turkish bath massage scheduled.
If you want proof read copy, we may be home before it is published. Also, Tania is exhausted after acting as tour leader each day, she.falls asleep before she can check it.
Oops. Every day. Not entry day
You are excused
I look forward to reading about all your travel after reading this .Tania is a great organiser! Safe travel
Ah, the shoe shine scam, know it well. Fortunately we weren’t carrying much money so we just walked away while he ranted and raved! The Blue Mosque is amazing and was undergoing some serious renovations when we were there but still spectacular.
Yes, yes. But what about the Turkish baths massage experience.
Where is the report on that?
I’m exhausted just reading about your busy days! But what sights you are seeing!
What an amazing experience. Any Turkish Delight? Photos fab.
Yes Tania has been getting her fill of Turkish Delight AND Baklava !! Loving it !
Great read, thanks for sharing with us. Sounds like your intro to Turkey has delivered some interesting events.