The day of departure started early, 2:30am, to catch our Emirates flight to Istanbul via Dubai. After the 22 hour flight, airport customs etc and shuttle to the hotel, it was a 30 hour looooong day. But all went smoothly.
On the Dubai to Istanbul leg, we had a sick guy behind us coughing unprotected the whole flight. We moved during the flight and luckily the plane was less than 1/2 full. Disappointed flight staff didn’t force him to wear protection or move him to an unpopulated part of the plane!
Airport Customs was really a non-event in Istanbul, 3 large suitcases full of our items plus our son’s things from Sydney and choosing ‘Nothing To Declare’, you just walk out!
Our hotel in the Karakoy district seems quirky but is very nicely appointed and comfortable. We had planned a rest day after the long trip but true to form, after a late breakfast, we were wandering the local streets and laneways.
We also climbed the streets to the Galata Tower but crowds from the cruise ships meant we didn’t go in and climb the tower. Strolling through the backstreets we walked through the ‘Light’ district, untold shops all selling lights of different kinds, and the ‘electric fan’ district. Past the Komondo Steps and a multitude of bridal couples getting photos, until we reached the waterfront of the Bosphorus & the Golden Horn to the Galata Bridge.
A meal at a foreign restaurant in a far off land isn’t a meal without there being a group of ‘Aussies’.
The next day was for some historic sites and the Grand Bazaar. We took advantage of the local tram network to travel around. The Bazaar is enormous, corridor after corridor of shops and the traders all trying to lure you into their shop with a ‘very special deal’. We weren’t really in the shopping mode, no room in our RV to fill with things.
The local historic sites visited included the Nuruosmaniye mosque by the Bazaar, the ruins of the Forum of Theodosius, the Hippodrome (Horse Arena) with its ancient columns, the German Fountain (WW1 gift from the Kaiser), Sultan Ahmet’s Tomb, the Hagia Sofia mosque and the Blue mosque.
We could have packed more in but with a 34°+ day, we took our time and enjoyed what we did. We also had to avoid Friday prayers when the mosques are closed, finding shade whilst we waited and then in the wind spray off the Fountain was great! Once open again after 2:30, the crowds rolled in and hoards of people filed through.
With few speaking any reasonable English, language can be a barrier, especially when trying to use automated ticket machines with few english options. There is a mix of both disinterest to help and those trying to help but can’t understand enough english.
The evening finished with good local fare at a local street restaurant, and of course a lady from Cambridge (our NZ hometown) at the next table. Istanbul loves their cats, tame street cats everywhere.
For our last day in Istanbul, we headed down to the piers by the Galata Bridge to find a Bosphorus cruise. A visit through the Egyptian Spice Bazaar was first before we wandered in search of a cruise.
A good 3-hour cruise with lunch was easy to find and we departed 10 mins after boarding. A very relaxing way to see Istanbul as we cruised down the Bosphorus with commentary included. The cruise also included an hour stop on the Asian side of Istanbul.
In the morning we are off to Russia to be with our son and his fiancée for a couple of weeks.
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