We are back from our very fun weekend in Istanbul. What a wild and crazy city. There is such a mix of chaos, crowds, pollution, noise, religion, architecture, and history. Rightly so, because it's probably one of the few major cities that straddles two continents - Europe on one side, and Asia on the other. On Sunday, we took a ferry from the European side to the Asian side - and so spent time in two different continents all before lunch!
The mosques are everywhere, and we were woken up both mornings by the very loud 'call to prayers' that are called out over loudspeakers. It's such a haunting and lovely noise, but not necessarily what you want to hear at 4:45 in the morning - especially as it's 2 hours ahead there, so it felt like 2:45! Luckily it only lasts about five minutes.
We went to some of the famous sights - the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, and walked along the city's ancient walls, the Hippodrome, and visited Aya Sofya, a huge church that is now a mosque that was completed in the year 537 AD.
We could have happily stayed much longer - Rob was loving the chicken shish and I was quite enjoying the baklava, humus, and other treats Turkey has to offer.
Still, we're glad to be home and are in the process of having some much needed quiet time in St Albans. Back to work tomorrow... booo!
Tulips outside Dolmabahce Palace, built in 1843 at the end of the Ottoman Empire
Practising my Sultan moves at the Grand Bazaar
Wholesome Turkish pastimes - shooting balloons on the waterfront
The Blue Mosque - view from our hotel
Outdoor dining, and my dinner companion, "bad kitty"
Self portrait outside Dolmabahce Palace gates
Outdoor dining, and my dinner companion, "bad kitty"
Self portrait outside Dolmabahce Palace gates
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