Turkey - Part 1

As the subject says, I'm in Istanbul right now. I arrived yesterday afternoon, after a really nice four day stay in London. I stayed with my aunt who provided excellent hospitality and pointed me out to places I haven't been to before. After spending the first day sleeping and getting over jetlag, I spent the next few days wandering about the city, checking out various markets, and making a stop at the British Museum, that great monument to the splendours of empire. I met some old friends at the Tate Modern to try out the new exhibit - a giant slide, and went for drinks at the oldest pubs in the city. My last night there was also spent out sampling the night life, before trekking across the city to the bus station, making my way out to the airport and catching a 6:15am flight to Istanbul.

Istanbul is a very impressive city. The drive into the centre revealed a city that has grown a bit too fast for its own good, but is still very impressive. Despite being a Muslim city, the downtown area could have been anywhere in Europe. The fashions were the same, and the stores included many western chains.

It was only as I made my way to my hostel in the old city that I realized what makes Istanbul so great. The walk took me over the Golden Horn, with great views
around the city and over the Bosphorous. Then, it passed right in between the Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque, two of the most impressive sights I've ever seen. The hostel I'm at is really comfortable with a great lounge on the top floor and a patio overlooking the old city.

I woke up this morning for a decent breakfast and then found a couple of fellow hostellers and headed off to the Spice Bazaar and then the Grand Bazaar. Shopping in Turkey is an experience unto itself. Bargaining is part of the fun, and what makes it such an experience. You never take the first offer, and walking away can often bring you the price you want. Both Bazaar's have hundred's of boutiques selling mostly the same stuff - spices, tea, rugs, hookahs and more. I haven't bought anything yet, but I think I have a good idea what it takes to get the best deal.

On the way home I stopped off at the Aya Sofya and went inside. It was originally a church, then a mosque and is now a museum. A giant scaffold scarred the inside, but it was still incredibly impressive. The shere size of the building is breathtaking and the mosaics and murals show a really interesting mix of Christian and Muslim imagery.