Day One
After many trials and tribulations, I finally made it to Istanbul! I arrived on Monday afternoon and was launched straight into the hustle and bustle of Istanbul. Met by Nathan and Andy at the airport, we took public transportation to our hotel, the Titanic Comfort. Due to worries about safety caused by the riots, we had decided to stay in the same hotel as Andy's family. It is a fairly nice hotel in the not so glamorous neighborhood of Sisli and it would be our home base for the next few days. That evening we went with the Lopez family to support Mikey at the u20 soccer World Cup. The USA tied France 1-1. Nathan and I then finished off our night with a celebratory dinner to kick off our trip in Sultanahmet, the cute old city area with the historic sites.
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| USA vs France u20 World Cup |
Day Two
Everyone was tired and slept in. Nathan and I then headed to the Spice Market and ate some Turkish Delight. We then went to the Grand Bazaar and did some shopping and wandered around the incredible set up. It's a massive marketplace, all in a giant building, but it actually more calm and organized than many other markets I've been to. We shopped, ate, and stalked the U20 Spanish soccer team who happened to be there. We then met up with the Lopez family for a sunset cruise. We floated peacefully on the Bosporus and Gold Horn- it was a great way to get a feel for the layout of Istanbul. It really is a huge, sprawling city.
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| On the Bosphorus |
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| Spice Market |
Day Three
Wednesday was our big tourist day. We went to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia and the cistern. All three places are architectural wonders. I enjoyed the spookiness of the subterranean cistern and the historic significance of the Hagia Sofia, but it was the Blue Mosque with its six minarets and grandeur that was my favorite. Nathan and I then walked across the city to Galata Tower (an old tower) and the Beygoglu district. This is the more modern and hip area, with a lot of stores, cute restaurants and night clubs. The main street was was filled with a bustling, youthful crowd. It was cool to see an area that contrasted so much with the tourist filled historic area.
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| Blue Mosque with Andy and Nathan |
Day Four
Our last full day in Turkey was spent mostly exploring Topkapi palace. It's a pretty big grouping of buildings filled with a bunch of different sections and exhibitions. It was interesting to visit, and I liked the domed rooms and mosaics everywhere. However, not as awe-inspiring as other palaces I've seen. After taking some last time to soak in the sights of historic Istanbul while relaxing at a roof top restaurant, Nathan and I headed to another soccer game. With a pretty big, mostly Turkish crowd we watched Spain beat France 2-1. The next morning we headed to the airport to catch our flight to Slovenia and begin backpacking in earnest.
I love Istanbul. This was my second time visiting the city and it affirmed how great it is. With its interesting history, mix of East and West, friendly people, busy streets, and always available doner meat (like gyro), Istanbul is definitely a stimulating city. It's a beautiful place with a vibrant, international feel and I can't wait to go back.
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