And after Egypt there was Istanbul – where culture and people meet!
Part of the deal with my dad and him coming to Hurghada, Egypt was to visit Istanbul as well. Furthermore, the weather was supposed to be nice and neither of us have ever been there (I didn’t make it all the way to the capital city on my Turkey trip last year). So off we went!
We arrived early morning at the Istanbul Sabiha Gocken airport (on the Asian side of the city). This meant we were stuck in the morning traffic and it took almost 2 hours to get to our hotel. Our hotel was in the ancient part of town which is actually in Europe. How astounding is that?
Hence the traffic was crazy but not surprising given the population of Istanbul is over 15 Million people. The upside I guess was that I managed to be in 3 continents between midnight and lunch! Who else can say that?
Istanbul city
We had 4 nights in Istanbul and we walked a lot. There is so much to see and so many different areas to explore. Staying in the old town of Istanbul near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia was the perfect spot to be and I highly recommend this area.
Istanbul is the most populous city in Turkey and is definitely a cultural and historical center. The two continents (Asia and Europe) are separated by the Bosphorus Strait (waterway). Given the hills and the flow of the strait almost everybody seems to have a waterview in Istanbul. Even we enjoyed stunning sunrises at breakfast, from the top floor in our hotel.
Personally I think Istanbul is an AMAZING city. It is full of little streets and pebbled steep hills, showcasing wholesale traders and local markets from all sides. The colourful houses (old and newly renovated) along the water remind me a bit of the Scandinavian Style. The variety of architecture certainly adds to the charm of Istanbul and it is easy to forget that it is actually a very big city. I didn’t even get close to any highrisers.
The Grand Bazaar is a grand spot to stock up on anything you desire. Not to mention all the delicious treats and goodies (esp. Turkish Delight) you can buy around every corner. I only bought a stack of herbs though.
The people are in general quite friendly, however you still get the usual sales people calling (and harassing) you from all sides. But that is nothing new after Egypt and Vietnam and is just part of the market and shopping streets. Seems like everybody is trying to make a living I guess.
After 5 days …
The weather for the 5 days was perfect so my dad and I managed to walk, ferry, tram, car and boat our way around the city and the Bosphorus Strait. There was never a dull moment and walking past the amazing Hagia Sophia was our daily routine. What an amazingly grand building. (I will write a more detailed blog about our top spots in Istanbul next).
(P.S. my dad is actually trying to move some hair out of my face!)
I am sure I will come back to Istanbul – where culture and people meet, sooner rather than later. Maybe in spring however when it is blooming? (Summer would be way to hot!) Agree?
Above all, in how many other places can you be in two continents in one afternoon?
