Early start to try and beat the queues at the Hagia Sophia mosque – not quite early enough though, the coaches had already arrived. They were desperate to try and sell us tickets for 50 euros each which would have included ‘The Hagia Sophia Experience’ i.e. a museum add on. Worshippers (Turkish citizens) and us infidels are now separated out and we could only go on the balcony level. It is so beautiful inside – definitely the most impressive mosque (was church) we’ve ever seen! For nearly a thousand years, it was the biggest enclosed space in the world.
Regretted putting a dress on – it was freezing cold today and I had to make creative use of both scarves I’d brought with me. We walked down through Gülhane park and then over the Galata bridge and up towards the tower. The road carried on up and we then found ourselves in the Beyoğlu district, on a huge wide shopping street. I was so cold by this time, I had to buy a jumper. Normally, I wouldn’t be seen in an orange dress with a burgundy jumper on top, but needs must and all that! 🤣
A little vintage tram runs up and down this street and it’s semi-pedestrianised so feels a little less frenetic than everywhere else.
Eventually, we reached Taksim Square, which is just a huge open space really.
Thought we should turn around at this point as the fit-flops were more flop than fit. Found a Lebanese restaurant for lunch that we’d eaten at two years ago and had a nice chat with our friendly waitress, Rubia.
Re-invigorated for at least ten minutes, we walked back over the bridge to the Sultanahmet district and back up the hill to the Topkapi Palace, but at £37 each to go in, it was a definite no from us. I think the powers that be have steadily increased the prices to see things in Istanbul – you could get through a fortune in a weekend here.
Guy wanted a last look in the Grand Bazaar, which seemed ever busier than last time we were there. I’d had enough by this point, and all the ‘hello there’, ‘yes please’ and ‘where are you from?’ fell upon deaf ears, and no, I don’t want a flipping carpet! 🤣
