Everything about this city charms me. Everything. The beautiful sites, the rich history, the people, the food... kebabs, hummus, apple tea, pomegranate juice, baklava. I may even end up liking olives. Every morning I am even excited about our hotel breakfast...
One day we ate pastries at Hafiz Mustafa (a confectionary since 1846!) and had a piece of pistachio chocolate cake that was incredible! We may have returned for cake on several different occasions.
Also, I love seeing cats all over. It is entertaining to spot them in, say, a bookshop window.
Or in Aya Sofia, wanting a belly rub. But that is always a trap.
We have spent our first three days in Istanbul in the neighborhood of Sultanahmet, which is home to Istanbul's "main attractions." In fact, 30 seconds walking from our hotel brings us to Aya Sofia Square, where we see Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque. Which is just wonderful.
We have been inside Aya Sofia. I didn't know it was all one room on the inside, so it feels expansive, to say the least.
We went inside the Blue Mosque, waiting until after prayer, removing our shoes and covering our heads. Just like Aya Sofia, it is one large space on the inside.
We ventured down into the Basilica Cistern, and saw Medusa's head supporting two columns. The Romans build neat things :)
The walked to the Grand Bazaar, and wandered its endlessly meandering streets.
We visited Suleymaniye Mosque, which has a beautiful view out over the city.
The found the Spice Bazaar, and enjoyed its smells and colors.
We spent an afternoon at the Archaeology Museum, to get a bit of learnin'. That is part of the actual chain strung across the Bosphorus, a helpful (but not helpful enough) device during the siege of 1453, when the city was taken by the Ottoman forces. Which might be where George R. R. Martin got his idea for a similar device in Game of Thrones.
We wandered the various buildings inside Topkapi Palace. Most of the museum displays didn't allow photos, so we just have a few shots of the beautiful tile from inside the Harem. Let me say, though, that I am duly impressed with the wealth of the Ottoman Empire. There were literally boxes of jewels. There was also a collection of Islamic verse calligraphy, which was my (Gracyn's) favorite.
Maybe we didn't mention the beers in Asia, but that's because there is not a lot to say. Kingfisher in India, Tiger in Thailand, Beerlao in Laos, etc. However, Turkey's national brand, Efes, has a light and dark brew. It was so nice to taste dark beer again!
Also, I love seeing cats all over. It is entertaining to spot them in, say, a bookshop window.
Or in Aya Sofia, wanting a belly rub. But that is always a trap.
So the first thing we did in Istanbul was ... decide to extend our stay. We had intended to make a stop in Bucharest before going to Budapest. But we want more time here, so we will fly directly to Budapest on the 11th.
We have been inside Aya Sofia. I didn't know it was all one room on the inside, so it feels expansive, to say the least.
We went inside the Blue Mosque, waiting until after prayer, removing our shoes and covering our heads. Just like Aya Sofia, it is one large space on the inside.
We ventured down into the Basilica Cistern, and saw Medusa's head supporting two columns. The Romans build neat things :)
The walked to the Grand Bazaar, and wandered its endlessly meandering streets.
We visited Suleymaniye Mosque, which has a beautiful view out over the city.
The found the Spice Bazaar, and enjoyed its smells and colors.
We spent an afternoon at the Archaeology Museum, to get a bit of learnin'. That is part of the actual chain strung across the Bosphorus, a helpful (but not helpful enough) device during the siege of 1453, when the city was taken by the Ottoman forces. Which might be where George R. R. Martin got his idea for a similar device in Game of Thrones.
We wandered the various buildings inside Topkapi Palace. Most of the museum displays didn't allow photos, so we just have a few shots of the beautiful tile from inside the Harem. Let me say, though, that I am duly impressed with the wealth of the Ottoman Empire. There were literally boxes of jewels. There was also a collection of Islamic verse calligraphy, which was my (Gracyn's) favorite.
Maybe we didn't mention the beers in Asia, but that's because there is not a lot to say. Kingfisher in India, Tiger in Thailand, Beerlao in Laos, etc. However, Turkey's national brand, Efes, has a light and dark brew. It was so nice to taste dark beer again!
Um, guys? It's Istanbul, not Constantinople. Your date? She's waiting in Istanbul.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had such a wonderful time - especially after a bumpy experience in India. Can't wait to hear about Next Stop: Budapest!