Days 28-29, 22 & 23 April Istanbul-Old City

Day 28-

Was nice to wake without an alarm today, although still woke about the same time! We had breakfast then out to wander around. It is raining today and alternated between downpours and light rain. Got a couple of umbrellas from the hotel and wandered just around the corner to the Basilica Cistern (a massive city underground water reservoir) which was built in the 6th Century, can you believe? Even before that a great basilica stood on the site, in the 3rd century and a lot of the columns in the cistern were re-used from other buildings - such as the 2 Medusa heads columns. One is sideways and the other inverted.

Its surprisingly warm and there are large carp swimming in it here and there. It is a huge underground cavern to be in when you are under the street in the very gloomy light!
I fair karked myself though, when all of a sudden what little light there is, flickered and one - then all the lights went out completely and we were plunged into pitch blackness that felt like it was crushing you. Im not a panicker but I instantly felt terrible claustrophobia and called out to Graeme who was a little way away but everyone else was yelling too, so we just stood still. I was just about to find the torch on my phone, when the lights thankfully came back on-that was truly scary!

We wandered round a bit more then went back onto the street and walked to the Grand Bazaar. You soon learn not to even be polite to the hawkers out on the street, by saying no thank you as they go into their spiel- 'You Kiwi? Kia Ora' or mainly we got 'Hello, you German - Guten Morgen' because of Graemes moustache, they all seem to think he was German and it happened about half a dozen times!!!

There are some really beautiful things in there, like the glass lamp shades that are so exotic, but too hard to get home but I bartered hard to get some table runners and scarves I really liked that will go well with things at home.

We walked back to the hotel and stopped to get a lamb wrap for lunch- everything is so cheap here- they were about $3 each. Went back to the hotel and Graeme had a sleep then we walked back down the road as we are so close to town, for a stroll as this seems to be a national pastime here- along with all the Aussies, Kiwis and English in town! The shop hawkers are at you constantly and Graemes mou continued to draw attention from a lot of the young men and they call out to him a lot about it.

Day 29 -

We both woke in the night with sore necks- the bed is hard and the pillows are soft, so our beanie pillows are coming in handy! We had breakfast then went out walking to find the pick up point for tomorrows Gallipoli trip. Its just down the road at Gulhane Park- how did we ever miss this last stay? Behind all the crammed in city is the massive park that sits behind the Hagia Sophia mosque. Flowers out everywhere and people strolling through it. Found where we need to go tomorrow after a bit of a tiki tour, then wandered into town to get supplies for anzac day. You can only take a backpack which has to have everything- small sleeping bag, change of clothes, jackets, food etc. We are just taking the essentials and there will also be food on site they say. It has rained here on and off the past 2 days in Istanbul but its looking ok for Gallipoli. We have stuff to keep as dry and warm as you can be anyway.

Walked to the Blue Mosque but unfortunately caught it when prayers were on and then just as it closed,so walked to a much smaller moque and had a look. Women have to cover their heads now, which I knew so we were able to go in. Women have to go upstairs to pray!

We walked to Mc Donalds for a sundae as neither of us was hungry, then wandered back down to the parks via the mosques and obelisks in the square.

There are hawkers everywhere and a few beggars in town, but we passed a young couple with 2 very small children on a backstreet walking in the cold. He unfolded a sign which said "we are from Syria, can you please help us". We walked on but the more I thought about it, the more I thought they looked genuine and they were all thin and had that hopeless look of despair in their eyes. The father was wearing jandals and there has been no-one (except me) wearing them! So we went the same way back to see if they were still there- if they were, then we werent meant to give them something. The lira currency is worth half of our dollar so it isnt much to us.
They were gone and we felt for them as the wife and kids stayed back and they didnt use the children for begging. Then Graeme saw them down another street so we crossed over and gave them some money which they appreciated. If they are from Syria and are trying to get away from an awful life, we cant imagine what its like and its easy to turn away. Wish we could do more though.

Got back to the hotel and packed up ready for our trip tomorrow. The hotel are keeping our suitcases for us till we come back on the 25th, where we will stay one last night before leaving for Denmark.