Istanbul... OMG where do I start...

One chunk at a time.....

This is a BIG city with a BIG history and any attempt to get under its skin as we always like to do in a week to ten days would be met with resistance. So where does one start...?

As a damn tourist of course. Complete with audio guide, guide book, map, camera (IPhone), something to carry water etc and comfy shoes.... Just like everybody else!

Here's a potted history...

The gateway to Asia Minor the city straddles the Bosphorus. A highly strategic, narrow seaway linking the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea thus providing Russia with its only ice free sea access to the Mediterranean and basically the World.


Founded by Thracian tribes 12 Centuries BC. Colonised by the Greeks in the 7th century BC and fell to the Romans in 196 AD when it became know as Constantinople (after Emperor Constantine when he moved the Roman Empire's Capital from Rome to here. This caused some disagreement in Rome so it was declared the Capital of the Eastern Roman Empire or the Byzantine Empire and outlasted Rome and the Roman Empire by several centuries. Then along came the Ottomans in 1453 and Constantinople became the capital of the Ottoman Empire which ended after the First World War in 1923 The Capital of Turkey was then move to Ankara and Constantinople became generally known throughout the modern world as Istanbul.

The architecture, the food, the culture is a mix of the two major periods... The Byzantine and the Ottoman... Read Christian and Muslim.

So, where do you start? The Golden Horn encapsulates nearly all the must sees where everything is within hot, sweaty, crowded walking distance of each other. 36 degrees, two young kids and very old buildings... This is going to be fun! 

Luckily we still had Jarrad with us who had already spent 10 days here before joining us on the boat way further south so he became our default tour guide.. First stop, the Spice Markets. Not what it used to be way back when, but you can still get all the spices you always could and Oh, the aromas....

Needless to say, Sal being the great cook and we being somewhat into our food, we have a ton of vacuum packed spices to bring home. More on that when I cover our amazing food tour..

On to the Basilica Cistern. Confronted with a mile long queue we nearly gave it a miss until we were hustled by a guide. "$25 plus your tickets and I'll get you passed this queue and tell you what this place is all about..." Deal! Straight past the sweaty plebs and into blissful coolness of what used to be where the Romans stored their water. Built using columns taken from temples no longer in use throughout the Roman Empire, This huge space with domed roof from pillar top to pillar top and still holding up a good part of the city, The water was viaduct-ed here from 20kms away. Clever those Romans.

It fell into disuse when the Ottomans took over because Muslims do not drink still water. (they use fountains) and slowly silted up until recently when somebody decided to find out what it was other than a small hole in the ground where you dumped your garbage. What an amazing find. Two pillars were found to be topped with the head of Medusa. (Gaze upon her and you turn to stone) but they were placed upside down and sideways at the bottom of their respective pillars, It is assumed to negate Medusa's powers...

The Hagia Sophia. Originally a Greek Orthodox Church, so we're talking 7th century BC here, It was converted into a mosque by the Ottomans in the 1400's. They simply plastered over all the mosaic references to Mary and Jesus etc thus saving the fortune of building a whole new Mosque.

It is now a UNESCO historic site and as part of the restoration some of those beautiful mosaics have been unplastered, but in so doing, Muslims are now forbidden to prey here.. Make of that what you will. It was declared by Old mate Mustafa Ataturk to be a museum encapsulating the very history of the city and it really is a magnificent place to contemplate.

Not a single complaint from the kids so far... they have been amazing! Lot of bitching from the adults but....

And so to the Blue Mosque. Not its real name but the name given to it by tourists, this is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It is imposing and beautiful and can be taken in in less than an hour. No entry during prayer and a strict clothing regime. Worry not if you are not properly attired, you are given what needs to be worn as you enter.

By sheer coincidence, our mate Terry McGrath was in town on business. What better way to round out day one than to pick a cool restaurant under the famous Galata Bridge replenish our food supplies and completely overdo it on the liquids! didn't we Terry?

Sally is not actually being the ever loving wife here, she is covering the ubiquitous food stain on my shirt!