Istanbul...a Turkish delight

So, how did we end up in Turkey? it was quite literally plucked out of the air one night in Athens with high recommendations and it's proximity to Greece it seemed a "why wouldn't you?" opportunity... armed with not much more than that in expectations, I met the lovely Miss Mel there for a week of sensory overload and exploration, what a fabulous vibrant and interesting city it turned out to be!

My little Demon..

Istanbul is where Asia and Europe literally join continents, these two influences can clearly be seen in the architecture and the culture (perhaps there is a little bit of America in there too, they sure do love a tip!)

Old and new comfortably together

It's busy, bustling and pretty efficient for a city with a population of 14ish million busy bustling people, most of these people can be found on the Metro at all hours of the day and night, not for the faint hearted, sardines are SO lucky!

We visited the Modern Art gallery, again, what a rich and vibrant history, present and future this country has represented here, just one more delicious layer!

The Grand Bazaar is SO big and SO overwhelming (October 8th was it's 550th birthday) and has between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors DAILY!!! (I felt like I bumped into most of them) + 4000 stalls and boy do those "traders" all have something to to sell "yes, lady you" eventually I relented to the man who said simply "can I sell you some thing from my shop?" I am a sucker for refreshing honesty, so I said "go on then" which is how my "little" Turkish delight "habit" began...it's slippery slope folks...




 Despite it's European influence it is very distinctly it's own respectful culture, the call to prayers that can be heard over loud speakers throughout the city are poignant, thought provoking and make you a little quiet on the inside... 

There are Mosques left right and centre, each with a fabulous and rich story, this is the Blue Mosque the most famous in the City and unbelievably took only seven years to build, evidently they were a little under the pump toward the end especially with the 20 odd thousand hand painted tiles required (this became apparent during recent restoration where it seemed the last tiles were not quite a flash as the first ones) It is absolutely beautiful and with so many things I have seen on this fabulous adventure, one of the things that springs to mind is the time and "people" hours...makes you grateful it's not our day job... 

The entry gate to the Blue Mosque with a hangy down chain that created the need for the Sultan to duck his head each time he rode his horse in, there by keeping him humble to his people (The Sultan not his horse:0)

Mel mixing it up with the "locals"

Now to the horror story of Istanbul, No it wasn't the strange touchy man in the Turkish delight shop, who wanted to dance with me and know where we were staying (I told you it was slippery slope, I just had to have some more!) nor was it the odd little letchy bloke on the Metro who was seen to quite promptly by the 99.9% of fabulous men who treated us with such respect and graciousness each time we rode the Metro, no it was...

THE TURKISH BATH HOUSE... The Hamami!

The staff do not look like that person...

words simply fail me, except to say do not ever do it! I have such empathy now for the poor little fish laying on a marble slab waiting for something horrible to happen to them, little fish I feel your anxiety...flip flop and slide away now...

Some key words: large and pendulous, string bikini with"baby" in diamantés, cranky, shouty and rough (that's just the Staff)...actually as I shared with some  people previously, my life would be sufficiently fulfilled without this particular "experience"... All over now though!

                                               

We took a ferry to Princes Island (or one of them) for a day on the water, and a possible donkey ride to the top (but we couldn't find them, phew!) we did find some pretty whiffy horses though Phewwww! in a different way...

 Bosphorous Sunset

We saw beautiful sunsets whilst sipping Vino's in the Restaurants under the bridges, we ate in some lovely places, although I was surprised to find the cultural menu was really "doner" driven, so for me not a lot to report there, we walked and saw and did... but the loveliest thing was sharing this this with a special beautiful friend Melissa, thanks for flying half way around the world darling! I look forward to making many more memories of a life time in your kind and funny company, such as the little old man on the Metro that had stopped early and said to us finish, finish and Mel said "No,no Australian and American" with that killer gorgeous Texan smile. Priceless!!

                                       

In all fairness we were often asked if we were Spanish...must be those castanets I've taken to carrying around....what another beautiful chapter...

As always, Thank you so much for sharing xxx