Istanbul, Turkey

Ariel of Hamble
Jim and Valerie SHURVELL
Fri 6 Sep 2013 15:26

Istanbul, Turkey.

 

28th August, 2013 to 2nd September, 2013.

 

Once we had walked to the ferry, cleared Customs, travelled by ferry to Ayvalik, stood in a long queue and got our visa for Turkey, caught two coaches to get to Bandima, took the high speed ferry along the Sea of Marmara to Istanbul and finally got in a taxi to our hotel we had been travelling for over twelve hours but it was worth every mile we covered.

 

The hotel was situated between the Blue Mosque and the Haghia Sophia in the Sultanahmet area so it was ideal especially as the Expo 2013 started on Saturday and there were singing, dancing and music shows going on all over the city.

 

We met up with Jim’s nephew Stephen and his girlfriend Kate at the end of their European holiday and explored the sights with them for two days before they flew back to Australia. 

 

On our way to the Blue Mosque we made the mistake of acknowledging a chap who spoke English to us.  Big mistake he got us into the mosque and showed us around but we had to visit his family’s carpet shop a couple of minutes away.  I think the man would have got out every carpet in the shop if he could have sold us just one.  After showing interest we were on our way to the Haghia Sophia or known as the “church of holy wisdom”.  It is 1400 years old and the ceilings are covered in art work.  The church’s splendid Byzantine mosaics include one which depicts Christ flanked by Emperor Constantine IX and his wife Empress Zoe.  We then went straight to the underground water system “Basilica Cistern” which dates back 532 and has 336 columns holding up the cistern’s roof.  Two columns at the far end each rest on a Medusa head’s which are at the base on their sides.  It is thought to mark a shrine to the water nymphs.   After a spot of lunch we visited the Topkapi Palace and harem and looked at the 86 carat diamond on show before wandering to the spice market, Turkish Delight shop, had ice-creams and milky desserts at the place to be seen at before returning to our hotel sightseeing on the way to shower and go out for dinner. It is just an amazing place to holiday.

 

The next day we walked over the bridge to meet up with Stephen and Kate as they were staying in the area known as Beyoglu and witnessed around 150 people all fishing off the bridge and mostly missing the restaurants below.  To eat there you really do need to keep your eyes open. 

 

We climbed the Galata Tower for a 360 degree view of the Golden Horn and across the skyline to Princes’ Islands.  We took a tram to Taksim Square and walked down via the shops before catching a ferry to the Asia side of the Bosphorus.  Stephen and Kate showed us around the spice shops and restaurants where they had been taken on their food experience tour.  It was wonderful and we experienced some great sights.  We had dinner at a fish restaurant before we caught the ferry back and said good bye to Stephen and Kate and wished them a safe journey the next day.  We also had quite a walk back to our hotel across the bridge where you have a great view of the palaces and mosques lit up at night.

 

The next day we took our time and visited the wonderful Dolmabahce Palace with its 258 rooms, crystal staircase and ceremonial hall which was designed to hold 2,500 people.  One of the chandeliers is reputedly to be the heaviest in the world and was bought in England.  The whole palace was beautifully decorated with beautiful furniture and curtains. We visited the grand bazaar on our way back to the hotel to change for dinner.  After we had eaten we watched a little of the performance for Expo which was visited by the President of Turkey.  His personal police officers were based in coaches just a few yards from our hotel. All very young fit chaps and very tall.

 

For our anniversary we decided to take a boat trip to the Black Sea where it stops for three hours to be able to explore and have lunch.  We enjoyed seeing the Victorian houses all along the water front and the mix of more modern houses.  It was a great one and half hours each way water trip.  After lunch we saw a submarine pass by as it entered the Black Sea.  The amount of boats which use the Bosphorus every day is staggering.  As some of our friends know we had thought about sailing up past Gallipoli to Istanbul and using a marina there.  Jim watched the weather for weeks and it would have been 200 miles against the north wind and a marina about an hour and half away from the city.  With the amount of sea traffic we now have witnessed we made the right decision as the way the ferries rush around the surge is constant and Ariel would have been very uncomfortable to sleep on and not to mention the worry of possible damage.

 

We had a wonderful anniversary dinner and enjoyed trying something new. The Turkish pot was delivered to our table seated on a fire base and then the waiter taps the lid off and spoons your chicken dish on to your plate.  A great meal!

 

Next day we had to travel back to Mitilini and say farewell to Istanbul.  There was so much more to see so perhaps one day we will return.

 

Our new granddaughter was delivered safely in the early hours so we had the wonderful news delivered to us on our travels.

 

We arrived back at Ariel around 9 o’clock and she was safe and sound in the marina.  

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image