Today we had a very big program. After breakfast, we headed out to join a two and a half hour “free walking tour” run by a local guide. And while it was free, it was recommended that a tip of at least 400 lira ($17AUD) per person be made at the end of the tour. This was made clear at the time of the booking, and it was well worth it.
Our tour guide’s name was Mohammad and he knew so much about the history of the city. When I booked the tour online, it provided a rough itinerary for the tour, stating there was a possibility we would enter a mosque, however Mohammad told us very early on that it would not be possible as it was a Friday, and on Friday mornings mosques are closed for teaching the Islamic religion. He explained they would be open again in the late afternoon if we were interested.
I had watched Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure earlier in the year to learn something about Istanbul. She wore an amazing scarf and hat that I decided I would try to emulate when we visited – it would be perfect for visiting mosques and for keeping the sun’s heat off.
Mick did hear one woman we passed comment to her friend when she saw me “Interesting outfit”. I am guessing she did not see Joanna Lumley in it!
There were about 18 people on our tour. We stopped in the park to get an overview of the history of the city from Mohammad. We stood very close to this police car. And, no – it is not a joke or a fake!
This is a Bentley and it was parked near a very fancy Mercedes police car.
Mohammad explained that the police had busted a large drug ring and had confiscated a lot of luxury cars that they converted into police cars as a message to the criminals and the community.
Brilliant.
It is impossible for me to document the history of Istanbul in this post, so I will just mention some of the things that stood out for me. (Mick is breathing a huge sigh of relief!)
The Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul’s best known buildings. Mohammad told us that this was actually the third building constructed on this site; and it was built during the 6th Century, taking less than 6 years to build. Now that is impressive.
After Constantinople (as it was known then) was conquered in 1453 by 21 year old Mehmed II, Hagia Sophia was repurposed into a mosque and had an external wooden minaret added. This later burnt down, and over the years the additional minarets were added. One is undergoing repair at the moment.
In 1935 the building was turned into a museum, and in 1985 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Only recently, in 2020, President Erdogan made the controversial decision to convert the building back into a mosque.
It is still open to visitors and I am hoping to go back and visit there one morning (before the crowds get too crazy). Mick is not so keen.
Mohammad told us that while this is the biggest dome on a mosque in the world, it has collapsed, or partially collapsed a few times since it was built mainly because of its shape. It is built over a rectangular shape, while most mosque domes are built over a square shape.
Towards the end of the tour, Mohammad took us to a mosque outside the Grand Bizarre, On our way, we passed another famous site – the Column of Constantine (no photo included though).
It was here that Mohammad explained the five pillars of the Islamic faith and openly answered any questions he was asked about his religion. He told us that although Turkey is a secular country, 98% of the population is of the Islamic faith.
Just before we entered the Grand Bizarre, which comprises just over 4000 stores on the inside and hundreds more in the streets outside, Mohammad told us not to buy anything here; we were better off buying from local store owners in the small streets outside. He also told us that the Grand Bizarre is the most visited place in Istanbul.
This is where Daniel Craig, as James Bond (007) skilfully road a motorbike on the roof of the Grand Bizarre for the movie Skyfall.
When our tour was over, we had to get back to our hotel, and this was where things got difficult. The closest option was to make our way to Eminonu Tram Station – just over a kilometre from where we were but down some very steep steps and along narrow and crowded streets. It was well past lunch time by now, but Mick was keen to get back closer to our hotel in Sultanahmet before we bought something for lunch.
I talked Mick into taking a break (as we still had a good 5 minute walk to go to the tram station) and to buy an ice cream. Our friend Bel who had been to Istanbul last year had told us about the antics that go on when someone tries to buy an ice cream. And Mick was a perfect candidate. This video goes for 7 seconds, although the performance went on for much longer than that.
We made it safely back to our hotel around 3pm and rested for the remainder of the afternoon before we were picked up from our hotel to be taken to a Bosphorus River cruise with dinner and a performance.
The entertainment included dancers performing traditional Turkish dances, folk dances and modern dances. The main attraction though was a beautiful belly dancer who mesmerised the crowd – including Mick.
I had bought us VIP tickets which included being picked up and driven back to our hotel when everything was over. This turned out to be a good thing as Mick’s knees were pretty sore after this morning’s activities and it was well after midnight by the time we got back to our hotel.
Jane and Mick's Holiday Adventures 