Istanbul

Day 2 - Sat 3 Jul 2004

08:30 breakfast, and then out to see the Aya Sofia - it's so early that not many tourists are around - very nice! It's a huge building, with great features; even had a go at the Weeping Column, then off to see the Sunken Cistern = kinda creepy, but very cool (in both ways!) even saw some fish swimming in the water.

Then down to the Blue Mosque, off with the shoes, and inside - Wow. Four massive columns hold the whole thing up, and it's easy to see how it got its English name - the whole of the inside is covered with blue and white tiles. After just sitting down and soaking up the atmosphere, it was down to the Hipperdrome, so see the various columns installed there.

Your ferry awaits

Moved on to the edge of the Bosphorus, there's a wreck of a big boat leaning at a 45 degree angle right up against the embankment. It's gone 12 by now, so I head back to the hotel (via a supermarket) and have something to eat. Sit out the warmest part of the day with the Air Con cranked up!

Out later, but it's still rather hot! Made it down to where the passenger ferries depart. It's chaos there! People everywhere, cars tooting their horns, fabulous!

Back up to Sultahamet, and caught the open air sight seeing bus, didn't see much that I hadn't already seen on foot, but the bus did make it over to the eastern side of the city.

Back to my hotel via a carpet salesman - cripes I had no idea that a carpet could cost so much! Managed to escape without buying anything. Later I got some photos of the moon rising over the Bosphorus.