The Ballot - Greeks, Turks, Last Post and those Marbles

[robd]

Today we're doing an 8 hour private walking tour. Sites covered;

Hagia Sophia
Blue Mosque
Basilica Cistern
Spice Market

Was this walking tour booked through your hotel? Can you provide further details, cost etc. Jnr#2 and I will be there in May (unfortunately not at the FS, but close by).

 

[Pushka]

Trust you visited the Treasury building in Topkapi Palace where the jewels on display are wonderful. As is the Topkapi Dagger.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Trust you visited the Treasury building in Topkapi Palace where the jewels on display are wonderful. As is the Topkapi Dagger.

Large Emeralds - never seen anything like them!

 

[amaroo]

Hagia Sophia http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia

 

[amaroo]

Absolute privilege to walk into this building. A must see!

 

[amaroo]

Love the FS Style - shoe shined and returned wrapped

 

[amaroo]

Blue Mosque http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Ahmed_Mosque









A working mosque + tourist attraction must make for some stressing times!

Shoes off - head scarfs on!

The smell of feet/socks in summer must be overwhelming...

 

[Pushka]

We were in Istanbul in July and I've read here of feet smells but I just didn't find this an issue. I did find the guy in a sleeveless Collingwood guernsey offensive though.

 

[amaroo]

It's 5.30am here and we're about to make our way to Gallipoli. Probably won't have internet service until we arrive back in Istanbul.

Complimentary coffee delivered with a wake up call - Love FS!

 

[amaroo]

Wifi on the bus

Basilica Cistern. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_Cistern











Amazing infrastructure in excellent condition after 1500 years. Another must see!

 

[amaroo]

Was this walking tour booked through your hotel? Can you provide further details, cost etc. Jnr#2 and I will be there in May (unfortunately not at the FS, but close by).

Back in Istanbul. The service was beautiful.

We had the hotel arrange - I'd recommend arranging a guide yourself. We went with the hotel recommendation as we wanted a Turkish carpet specialist ... that knocked the price up and ended up blowing a huge hole in the wallet

 

[Flying mermaid]

Back in Istanbul. The service was beautiful.

We had the hotel arrange - I'd recommend arranging a guide yourself. We went with the hotel recommendation as we wanted a Turkish carpet specialist ... that knocked the price up and ended up blowing a huge hole in the wallet 

Glad it all went well - looked beautiful on TV.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Was this walking tour booked through your hotel? Can you provide further details, cost etc. Jnr#2 and I will be there in May (unfortunately not at the FS, but close by).

We have been organising private tours - both walking (Italy) and driving ones (Permukkle and Cappadocia). Our system was Internet search and then use Trip Advisor to see what people thought. We haven't done one for Istanbul, as we have been here before. We were very happy with the two in Italy using this system.

 

[amaroo]

Spice Bazaar http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice_Bazaar,_Istanbul











A great day of sight seeing! Next stop on the tour was just as interesting as we started the process of purchasing a few vintage Turkish carpets - gruelling, but rewarding!

 

[amaroo]

Dinner tonight will be at Karakoy Lokantasi http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Resta...98609-Reviews-Karakoy_Lokantasi-Istanbul.html

This made our short list so when the FS recommended we booked.









The place was full - not bad for a Sunday evening. Terrific meal - highly recommend eating here.

 

[amaroo]

After the meal we took a stroll - beautiful!

 

[amaroo]

Topkapi Palace http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topkapı_Palace

The place was under siege from bus loads of Aussie tourists wearing an array of Anzac Day labelled jackets - took the edge of a little.

 

[amaroo]

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[amaroo]

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[amaroo]

What can I say - awesome!