Operation Tourist Hotspots
The morning light really brought the best out of the view from our apartment. The skyline of the old quarter, its landmarks and river were all laid out before us like an ancient map — and sure did it fire up our sense of exploration. As a result, we forwent the public transport system and opted to walk down towards the water and cross the main bridge in search of our first tourist destination.
Blindsided by the horde of men fishing on the bridge, we later discovered that we made an unintended crossing and ended up away from our planned stop. With the Great Aquaduct in our sights, we conceded to modify the day’s itinerary — I could not help but ask “What had the Romans ever done for us?”
The Grand Bazaar was close by and head towards it we did. Growing up on a back of tales from the Arabian Nights and Sinbad’s adventures, I believe I set the bar quite high for this fabled marketplace — and as Murphy is an old mate, it sure was disappointing. Having walked the trading districts of Hong Kong, this was a mere drop in the ocean. The only thing grand about this bazaar is its name.
To those who love cats, move to Istanbul. Having holidayed in Vietnam recently and surprised by its lack of felines, I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of healthy, utterly friendly strays roaming the streets and parks — in packs. And I saw my first cat in a tree!
We made our way to arguably the most famed mosque in Istanbul — Sultanahmet, the Blue Mosque. The queues were long, but moved swiftly — and generally, something I’ve noticed here. If you’ve never seen the inside of a mosque, I’d recommend it solely for the architecture and decoration. Having said that, once you’ve seen one…
The Aya Sofya, directly opposite, was once a religious building but is now a museum undergoing restoration — and wow is it spacious.
Across the road is the entrance to Basilica Cistern, Aya Sofya’s underground reservoir in case the city underwent a drought. Considering how old it is, always damp and dark, I was surprised to see it in good condition. Also, the fish! Massive fish, and so many. This underground ruin was definitely the highlight today.
tdha
