Turkeys M Hideaways Day 4
Turkeys M Hideaways
Day 4 - 04/10/06 Explore Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Spice Market, Cruise Across the Bosporus to Uskudar, Galata Tower, Trolley Ride, Fish Dinner.
Although it was bright earlier, we met another overcast day as we went to breakfast. I uploaded yesterday's journal right away and Gennie was able to get a few messages taken care of for her class. We had breakfast in the dining room and met a new OAT group of 8. Meltem told us that our small group of 6 is very unique as tourism in Turkey has been strong this Spring, specially with all that came two weeks ago to see the eclipse.
Our first adventure was a walking tour to Topkapi Palace, a city within a city. Mehmet the Conqueror started building this complex in about 1453 and it served as the royal palace of the Ottoman sultans until 1853. Today, it is one of the world's richest museums, with a staggering collection of jewels, arms, porcelain, sculpture, manuscripts, and more. By the time we finished our of the palace, the thousands of cruise ship tourists had descended on the grounds. We were very happy that Meltem had brought us early to point our highlights and then give us free time to look on our own.
After our morning visit to the Palace, we went to the Grand Bazaar. WOW! What an experience - "a very good price for you, almost free" seems to be the universal sales pitch. We walked around the thousands of stalls where handsome young Turks tried to sell us carpets, jewelry, gold and silver, leather goods, as well as "authentic replicas" of the Sultan's treasures. We bought nothing but Gennie had fun talking to the salesmen and I took pictures of all the bargains.
We found a kebab vendor and enjoyed a quiet lunch and were back at the bus 20 minutes early. As we waited for the others we watched the people come back to their busses with bags of riches. Our next stop was the famous Spice Market, also known as the Egyptian Market. We were able to experience an authentic market atmosphere where local shoppers actually purchased their spices, fruits, and vegetables. Instead of trying to sell us things, the vendors were very friendly, enjoyed talking, and gave us samples to taste.
At 3 PM, from a nearby dock at Sirkeci boat station, we took to the water for our Bosporus cruise. In typical OAT style, we had the luxury of the whole sightseeing ship to ourselves. We could take pictures from the top deck or choose to get out of the wind. We looked north to the "European" district of Galata, or east to the Asiatic side of the Bosporus and the Maiden's Tower. In ancient times, the Golden Horn could be closed off to warships with the giant chain that we saw at the Military Museum yesterday, stretching from there to Seraglio Point.
We then visited the Galata Tower, built as a watchtower for the Genoese colony of Galata in 1348. It later became useful in spotting fires (although the structure itself caught fire twice in the 18th and 19th centuries). Today, it offers the only 360-degree view of Istanbul.
We boarded the trolley and rode up Istiklal Street to the heart of Art Nouveau Istanbul, Taksim Square. We then walked down the street where we saw a large film crew trying to capture a scene on the bustling streets of Istanbul. We walked directly to the fish markets where we had a specialty meal in one of the fine restaurants. We were able to pick-out the fresh fish that we were served for a delicious dinner.
After dinner we returned to the hotel to prepare for a very early morning flight to central Turkey. We organized our clothes, sorted our 500 digital shots, typed the journal, and paid our bill. We hoped to be in bed by 10 PM.
Accommodations: Sultanahmet Sarayi Hotel - - - Meals: B
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