Going to Istanbul was always on our plan but we never actively pursued it. Coincidentally, we were browsing tickets for London and the cheapest option turned out to be Turkish Airlines. That was the summer of 2016 and there was political unrest in the country. We had seen videos of tanks running over Galata bridge and army swamping through the streets of Istanbul. Still not to miss the chance, we went ahead and booked the flights so that we can have 3 days of lay over in this beautiful city while returning. After booking the tickets and before our journey there was also a bomb blast in the main international airport of Turkey. We booked our hotel in front of the airport so that in case anything happens in the city we can fly out. Later on we will realize how the media had exaggerated things and how the life in Istanbul was as normal as we can imagine. The visa process was straight forward and since we had a valid US visa, we were eligible for online visa application. We got our e-Visa within 48 hours of submission.
The two iconic monuments which define the city which was ruled by Ottoman Turks for centuries are Hagia Sophia and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (popularly known as the Blue Mosque). These are opposite to each other at the heart of the city. Hagia Sophia was built in the 5th century A.D. as a church and later on converted to a mosque and now a museum. It’s hard to capture a good view of Hagia Sophia from the streets so it is better to get on top of one of the many restaurants here and take a pic of the dome along with the remaining sky line of the city. The Blue Mosque was built in 16th century A.D. It has beautiful interiors and you get to see the delicate Islamic craftsmanship along the walls and the dome of the mosque. They also give a small booklet to every one which tells the story of the origin of Islam and the peaceful messages that the religion carries. Another interesting thing to do while you are here is to listen the call to prayer (Azaan ) by the Imam’s of Hagia Sophia and Blue mosque. They are well coordinated and is truly a mesmerizing experience. It is a friendly competition and the treat is for everyone.
To take an aerial view of the city you must visit the Galata tower. It’s better to get up early and watch the sunrise from Galata bridge over the Golden Horn river. On a typical Sunday you will find a lot of people sitting on the bridge with fishing rods in hand. This seemed to be the favorite way to kill time for the males on their day off. After that you can climb to the top of Galata bridge and have a look at the numerous mosques that span this city. We also had an amazing lunch at the top of Galata tower overlooking the city.
Istanbul is a paradise for shoppers. The grand bazaar is over 6 centuries old and the colorful lamps, cutleries, silk scarfs and other designer items will blow away your mind. Internet is full with people boasting about how much they bargained for and at what cost they were able to get the lamps. The key is to ask around few shops and listen to other buyers and their closing price before making your move.
A walk around the city and travel in the trams will give you a sharp contrast that this city provides. Half of it is in Asia and another half in Europe. It is a clear picture of east meets west. It is not uncommon to find a girl in western shorts and another one in full hijab sharing the seat. Your journey is not complete without the Turkish ice-cream. These skillful artists have a unique way of serving the ice-cream and many people just stop by to see them in action.
We are definitely going back to Istanbul for our second round of shopping :).