Day 55 – 19th June. City tour of Old Istanbul, Blue Mosque, Asia Tour & Palace

Day 55 – 19th June. City tour of Old Istanbul, Blue Mosque, Asia Tour & Palace

Woke after a fitful night for both of us, but ready to take on Istanbul. We started with a tour around our hotel area which is the old part of the city with all the mosques. We first went St. Sophia a church built in 6th century AD. WOW ! It was amazing and currently being restored so you could see the part old as it is and the newer work.
Then we went on to a small museum and the area round the Hippodrome and the Egyptian Obelisk. Evidence of the Ottoman empire is everywhere in this area of the city and their pride in their architecture. Then we visited the famous Blue Mosque which was amazing also with the protocols you follow for going into a Muslim church – complete with head scarf!

Then we did the usual carpet factory visit where they show you 120 carpets in 15 mins and hope you will buy one while sipping on apple tea!

They took us for lunch in a hotel then on to the Asia and Beylerbeyi Palace which is on the shores of the Bosphorus river. This “Summer Palace” was more opulence than you could ever, ever imagine – it was out of this world and built with plundered money from winning wars over other countries. The Sultan and his descendants lived there until they were overthrown in the 1923 revolution.

We were also taken around what is called the Asia area of Istanbul and up onto the hills that overlook the city – had a mighty view. Was very hot again today, so we had to suffer with an ice cream to cool down!

Got back to the hotel about 5pm, it is very congested with people and traffic here so were glad to get back and have a shower to cool off. One thing that is a pain is we were told by the travel agents that you use euro’s here, but the merchants all use Turkish Lira’s still. They will accept euro’s but have to convert it which is a little tricky as it fluctuates between 1.65-1.75 to €1.

We went down the road to a small restaurant for dinner –they charged in TL, we paid in Euro’s and got change in TL’s!!!!!

Back to the hotel to get photos and blogpage done (the hotel have free Wi-Fi so it’s great) then to bed for a decent sleep as am all blocked up sinusy again – query all the plane tree’s around?. Up at 5am for our trip up to Gallipoli and Troy. Will post when I can, may be in a couple of days when we get back though.