Mick and I both woke early and we were keen to try the breakfast on the terrace – four floors up some narrow winding stairs. But it was well worth it. We could see the Bosphorus River from one window plus lots of other terraces around us with people enjoying their breakfasts as well.

We are almost next door to a mosque, and just before 6am, we heard the beautiful singing of the “call to prayer” or adhan.

“…. is the first Islamic call to prayer, usually recited by a muezzin five times of the day in a mosque, traditionally from a minaret. The adhan is also the first phrase said in the ear of a newborn baby, and often the first thing recited in a new home.”

We are definitely staying in the best part of the city for accessing some of Istanbul’s most famous sites. Only about 100m from our hotel door is the spot where many tourist buses stop to let passengers off to go and explore the sites on foot.

Mick and I headed off to find the spot where the Hop On Hop Off Bus departed in Sultanhamet Square. But before we boarded the bus, Mick decided he should visit a public toilet near this bathhouse while I waited for him outside.

And this was where things got a little tricky.

A nice man started talking to me about the Blue Mosque and when we should visit it and told me how old it was and how old the Hagia Sophia was. He asked where I was from and then I found out he had lots of friends in Australia. At this point he told me that he was a business man who owned a rug business.

Oh no – Mick and I looked at rugs in Kusadasi a few years ago as part of a tour when we were visiting the Greek Islands, and we left with a rug on its way to our home in Australia

We both find it hard to say no to (pushy) sales people.

Where was Mick? I knew where this conversation was leading.

When Mick did appear the man told him the same story and then offered to take our photo in front of the Blue Mosque.

He asked us could we please look at his shop. We knew this was the strategy, but he had been nice. He pointed to a stall about 30 m away and I agreed that we would look but not buy. But that was not his stall. He pointed a little further and after about 300m Mick said he would go and get the bus tickets – and that basically I was on my own. I made it to his shop which was quite a bit further away and I said it was lovely but that I had to go.

Phew.

The bus filled up quickly and the commentary commenced. Our plan was to stay on for the complete loop and then go back to a stop we would like to explore further, especially one near where I had an appointment later in the afternoon near Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque. That was before the traffic became chaotic; the less than 2 hour route, became an almost 3 hour loop.

We crossed three different bridges on the tour.

The first one was the Galata Bridge, which was filled on both sides with people fishing. It is said that the bridge divides the Golden Horn from the Bosphorus River. Then we crossed the bridge that separates the European and Asian sides of the city. It was originally known as the Bosphorus Bridge but is now known as the 15th July Martyrs Bridge. It was renamed in honour of people who lost their lives defending a coup attempt in 2016 (yes, only 8 years ago) against the state government, and President Erdogan. And finally, the Ataturk Bridge, named after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk who established the Turkish Republic in October 1923. This was when he moved the Capital to Ankara.

We got off at our starting point, bought some corn for lunch and then Mick helped me buy a return ticket on the tram to Tophane Station, which was very close to where I had my appointment at a hammam. There was no way that red bus would make it in time.

The tram actually got me there early so I wandered the nearby streets and found these.

I bet they look spectacular at night.

As I entered the Kılıç Ali Pasha Hammam (which was recommended to me by a friend from home), I could not help myself take a photo of this man and these cats enjoying a rest outside.

This Hammam was open only to women until 4pm, and from 4.30pm it was only for men.

I have never been to one of these before, but I had read up on them, so I knew what to expect. I had read that a Hamman is a communal bath, and is “a traditional ritual dedicated to the care of the body and mind“.

I entered a magnificent space, where I had to sign a document waving all responsibility for the company if anything went wrong. I was given a key to a locker where I placed my belongings, and all my clothes except for knickers, and then headed towards the main area dressed in a Turkish towel and some sandals.

I was then taken by the hand by a woman who led me into a small anteroom, tiled from floor to ceiling in large marble slabs. She took my towel away and then filled a large bowl with very warm water and threw it all over me, very gently. She did this four to five times. She then led me into the main room, tiled in the same way, where there were many woman lying on a large round elevated section of the floor, about 2m in diameter, beneath a large domed ceiling with rows of star openings, then rows of circles allowing natural light to fill the space. I was told to lie there until the next stage. The floor of the slab was heated and the purpose was to prepare my skin for the next phase. I watched as other women were scrubbed and lathered and washed. There were 6 small sections off the main round room, where two women could be washed at a time. The women working there were also wrapped in Turkish towels, but wearing bras. That was the only thing that helped me know who was who.

My turn came and I was led to a section beside a large basin and more water. The lady who was to wash me used a glove made of fibre to scrub me all over. I had read that this can be very harsh, but I think she went gently on me because of my age. The next part was my favourite. Using what looked like a pillow case, she placed it in a bucket of sudsy water, then she pulled it out and filled the pillowcase with air, and the squeezed loads and loads of lovely suds all over me. She repeated this process more than a dozen times. By the end, I looked like I was wearing a bridal gown of suds. She then proceeded to wash me with her hands, using a cake of soap where necessary, and massaged my feet and my hands. I had to mostly sit for this part of the process, but at one stage I needed to stand so she could wash my back. Lastly she washed and conditioned what little hair I have, then gave me the bowl so I could give myself a final rinse. She then led me to a different anteroom where she dried me and dressed me in white fluffy towels and told me to go out to the relaxation area. It was a very pleasant experience, one that definitely has made the visit to Istanbul worthwhile and memorable.

Both Mick and I made it safely back to our hotel, and we headed off for dinner – about 150m from our hotel.

It was such a wonderful experience – not only was the food amazing, but we were also entertained.

Mick is enjoying himself here, very pleased with his choice of octopus and anchovies for dinner.