Whether you are a devout Muslim or not, each day starts an hour before sunrise, this morning at 4.30 am, with the first of five daily calls to prayer, broadcast very loudly from every minaret in Sultantahmet. One Mosque will start the process, and is joined one by one by all the others in the area, and there are many. Absolutely no sleeping until 8 or 9 am as is usual for us very contented retirees!

Mehmed Pasha Mosque

We feasted on a magnificent breakfast on the outdoor terrace of the 6th floor rooftop breakfast room, while enjoying magnificent views of the Sea of Marmara and incoming and outgoing vessels waiting for the tide.

Then it was time to start the day. Gathering up our cameras, water bottles and map, we wended our to the Grand Bazaar. Two hours later we were still happily lost in this fabulous and cavernous place, being hassled every couple of steps by very friendly but extremely persistent shopkeepers …. come to my shop, look at the carpets, try our Turkish Delight, see our plates, cups & saucers, clothing of every description in fact every imaginable thing it’s possible to sell. We did succumb and bought several souvenirs along with a couple of upcoming birthday gifts. It’s an intriguing place, and we agreed what a delightful and incredible challenge it would have been to compete in the night orienteering event held here in 2011. Oh, and the jewellery shops, dozens of them, with amazing displays of gold, diamonds, rubies, sapphires etc etc etc… earrings, bracelets, bangles, neck chains, the list goes on and on.

Morning tea in the Grand Bazaar

Souvenir shopping

Cats and more cats

Fabrics

Then it was lunchtime, and we decided to follow the Lonely Planet guide’s recommendation of a “fish sandwich”, sold at waterfront restaurants at the side of the Galata Bridge. At a cost of TL15 it’s a bargain lunch, but alas, the fish sandwich was a great disappointment. However, the view across the Golden Horn was wonderful and we watched several ferries do a very intricate water ballet while docking in a very confined area.

Lunch with a view

We continued on to the Spice Market where we spent another fascinating hour looking around (the scent of the spices mingled together was very heady), and again being hassled by shopkeepers. Then the long walk back to the hotel. We stopped to sit in the shade for a while, (temperature today was 29 degrees and quite humid) and realised that we hadn’t done what we had originally intended, to go the Aya Sofya first thing at 9 am for a return visit before the crowds. We looked, but the queue was around the block and with another large tour group fast approaching we decided that first thing tomorrow morning is a much better idea.

Loofah sponges galore

Electrician’s nightmare at the Grand Bazaar

The police have a huge and visible presence in the Sultanahmet area, not sure why; maybe a result of the political unrest of recent times?? Tourist numbers in this area are immense but generally well behaved. Even the opportunistic (pickpocket) Gypsies are keeping a lower profile.

Back to the hotel, and a well deserved Nanna (and Poppy) nap. I’m typing this blog sitting in the 6^th floor breakfast room, with a glass of cold beer at my left elbow, and the breeze gently blowing my hair dry. All’s right with the world.

We’re off to have dinner.

Ilze