Clockwise from top left: The Blue Mosque; inside the Blue Mosque; contrast in the Hagia Sophia
The Grand Bazaar
Clockwise from top left: Inside the Topkapi Palace; Monique admiring a mosaic; Fishermen overlooking Istanbul
It was with a huge amount of excitement and anticipation that we
headed to Turkey for a jam packed 10 day holiday. We were particularly pumped
for a couple of reasons....firstly, Turkey promised to be a super fun travel
location, and secondly we were going to be doing it with Andrew and Rachel
(Daniel's brother and sister-in-law)...what could be more fun!?!?!
Our first stop was Istanbul - the only city in the world that spans two continents, Asia and Europe. The city itself had a particularly cosmopolitan flavour, mixing
Muslim and Western culture, rich history with plenty to of modern convenience,
and incredibly friendly people (more on that later!).
While we were only there for two and a half days, we managed to jam
a huge amount in. A few highlights included...
Mosques and Palaces...
One of the first things that strikes you about Istanbul is the
jaw-dropping Mosques and Palaces that feature so prominently on just about
every street corner. Unlike Morocco, we were allowed to visit the famous Blue
Mosque and Hagia Sopia…both extraordinary sights. The Hagia Sophia in
particular was quite interesting, given that it was originally a Christian
church and then became a Mosque when Constantinople (now Istanbul) fell to the
Ottomans. It was quite fascinating to see Muslim symbols next to frescos of
Jesus.
The Grand Bazaar...
Where in Morocco we were quite unprepared for the feast of shopping
that was awaiting us, we were much better prepared this time around by taking
an empty cabin bag with us. Monique certainly did an amazing job filling it
with high quality hand made glass mosaic lamps and ceiling lights, scarves, and
hand painted ceramics…all at bargain basement prices.
Culturally, The Grand Bazaar was amazing experience. The shopkeepers
were all really happy to have us looking at their goods without putting any pressure
on to make a sale, loved having a chat and a laugh, and were even happy for us
to take a photo or two. While they were happy to barter to an extent, the
prices quoted were always fair and realistic. All this made for super fun
shopping experience.
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