Istanbul again

When me and my sister visited Istanbul we lived very close to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, like a block away. I am very twominded about the location. It is really nice to be so close to two big sights like them. It was really beautiful to just walk out after dark and watch them by night. I could have stayed there all day and all night, that is how beautiful and magnificent I think they are! And I loved the prayer calls, or what they are called, from all the mosques. They where very peaceful. Loud, yes, but peaceful. In my opinion.

My other side of me thought that after like 2 or 3 days I wanted to change hotel. I wanted to change area. To always see the same street, same sights, I wanted to see more of the city. Usually when I travel I choose a cheap hostel far from the city. I have to walk to get to what I want to see, Now it was too easy, but of course we were walking around. We checked the map and decided where we wanted to go. Finally we realised that the area we were in, Istanbul is very small. It doesn't take so long to walk the distance to where we want to go. Grand Bazaar, the aqueduct, alongside the waterside.

It is a magnificent city! I love it! I would recommend everybody to visit. It is peaceful, friendly, safe. The people that wanted to sell stuff had humour, they knew they had competition, the next store sold almost the same stuff. So we could hear them tell us stuff like "Please come and spend your money on stuff you don't really need" or "I have a bunch of crap....sorry, stuff!". Because of our blue eyes some salesmen also asked us to not buy anything, just come inside to have a look. First I thought it was just another sales trick, but them someone explained to us that because of our eye colour we are believed to bring good luck to the store for the rest of the year. And actually, those who asked us not to buy anything, they stick to their promise, they didn't try to offer us to by this and that.

Arazta bazaar, Very close to the Blue Mosque. According to some salesmen we were their first customers. Looking at this picture now, I am starting to believe them!  

Maidens tower. It is an island (?) just outside Istanbul. I never understood the story behind it. In the tourist book we had it said it was built for a girl who had as her destiny to die from a snake bite, so they hide her out in the tower, eventually she died from snake bite anyway. But the guide said something else. I have totally forgot that, but it made more sense!

Blue Mosque by night. We were in Istanbul just when the Ramadan ended. So that was an experience on it's own.

Hagia Sophia by night, and the fountain that is in between Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque.

Gulhane park. Just below Hagia Sophia. It is a nice park. It was very clean when we came there. But just after a few days....I wonder if the tourists where coming in...because it was later filled with trash! The trashcans didn't help much, because they were filled, plus someone that had been helpful enough to put one or two plastic bags on the side, so that people could put trash there as well, and those also full!

We went down to the water through Gulhane park. Then we walked alongside the water. A long walk.

Turkish good luck. The blue eye. It is said to bring good luck and scare away evil.

Turkish delight was sold everywhere! I asked the store owner if I could take pictures.

Turkish delight is really good! Specially the one you buy like this, fresh from the store. The ones you buy in boxes....let me not even say anything about them....

The million stone was the beginning point of the roman main road. As I understood Istanbul was build around this stone. Beside was a "road" filled with cities and how far away they are.

Street sign that says how far away certain cities are. Some cities are measured in roman numbers. The red ones on the sign. 

One of the openings to the Grand Bazaar. Because of our timing Grand Bazaar was closed Tuesday to Thursday, because of celebration of ending of Ramadan. So we could only visit on Friday. We actually walked fast through. We were already tired of all the "come have a look at this! Please buy this!" to us it was like "damn we want to run and hide!"

The aqueduct. 

A statue close to the aqueduct, we never figured out what it was all about

Apple tea. it is really nice! This is the bag type, it is still okay, but the real one is super!

On our way to the airport. By to Istanbul for this time! I hope to see you soon again!

Istanbul

Me and my sister S was planning to go travel. I owed her some money, or actually, I owed her some birthday and Christmasgifts that I have not known what to buy her, I have just told her to tell me what she wants, and then I buy it for her. This year I told her my dept is becoming too high. I should buy something. She wanted to travel. I said okay. We started looking at locations. Greece, Italy, Denmark, Germany....the bad thing when someone realises they want to travel just like that is that the prices are high and everything is fully booked. Finally she came up with the idea that we should try Istanbul or she had another alternative as well. Since we have never been in Istanbul I went to the travel agency for help. She checked availability and prices. I got everything, and went home to discuss with S. We decided to take the prices we got. I was supposed to go back the next day, when I realised that my passport is old. So I asked the travel agency to hold the tickets for one more day. I hadn't even booked them so int was no problem, other than the prices had changed a little. Not too much.

I checked with the police, I will get the passport within 2 weeks, No problem! That leaves me a full week before we travel! The night before I will go pay the travel my husband tells me there has been a bombing at the airport. I google it very quick and find out that they have cancelled the flights to Istanbul. I answered that I will check with the travel agency, what they recommend, then I will talk to my sister, and of course, I had to ask the opinion from my husband, but I would do nothing in the middle of the night.

Next day I did everything that. Me and my sister was on the same page. It is dangerous wherever we travel. Nothing will happen to us (I thank God). The travel agency said there are no special recommendations. So we end up actually paying for the trip.

It started feeling like we were actually going somewhere! I started packing, counting the days until my vacation started. Then, like 4 days before our trip it happens. There is an attack against the airport. Shooting and bombing. Again, my husband informs me of what is going on. I follow everything very carefully. Same procedure. Checking with the travel agency, talking with my sister and with my husband. The travel agency says there are no regulations about staying away from Turkey. Me and my sister are thinking that since there was a bombing now, the risk that there should be a new attack within the week we are there are minimal. My husband is also cool. Plus, since there are no regulations from the embassy, we will not get any money back.

Finally the day is there! We get up, my father drives us to the airport, drops us there and we are on our own. Some breakfast at the airport and then just waiting for the boarding to start. First time me and S are travelling alone together. It is going to be fun!

The travel goes smoothly. We have a ride waiting for us when we get to Istanbul. We decided like that since we know nothing about the country. It was very easy. We went out, a guy stands there with a sign with my name. He calls the driver and after some time we are on our way to the hotel. It is exciting!

Our hotel is nice! We unpack some of our stuff and then take some time to see the city. We want to eat something and then go to sleep.

My sister has made sure we have the right kind of money, We still like the small bills better, so we will see if we find someone that will change them to smaller.

Our hotel, on the left. Celal Sultan.

We found a really nice park. But we decided to not stroll too much in that right now, we had food on our minds!

We found a place close. We didn't know yet that they are among the more expensive ones. But they were also very nice, good service and good food! I was recommended an eggplant kebab. It was really nice!

And desert tea on the food :) Really good! After that it was time for us to sleep. We were tired after a whole day of travelling.