The Sultan’s Pad
With a bad restaurant recommendation the night before, backed up with another for breakfast, I was not feeling the magic — frustrations set in and had I been connected with social media, Istanbul would have been in for an earful.
We made our way to the Sultan’s former residence — the Topkapi Palace Museum. Even for off-season, the lines were still uncomfortably long given the overabundance of rude tourists. The armoury exhibition was the highlight but sadly, it could not redeem the rest of the tour. Even the harem.
The Spice Markets were nothing I hadn’t seen before in Barcelona, Singapore or Hong Kong, but it’s hustle and bustle and liveliness did at least lift my mood. The Krav Maga technique of getting through crowds proved exceptionally useful and efficient.
The night ended on a high, finding ourselves sipping tea and downing freshly grilled fish burgers, sitting on milk crates and watching the fishermen down at the docks. For the first time since landing in the city, I truly felt I had connected to the real Istanbul.
tdha
