A Weekend in Istanbul

Catherine and Michael in the Grand Bazaar

We were delighted when our niece, Catherine, and her husband, Michael, came to stay with us in Istanbul, even if for a very short time. Cath had visited Istanbul before, but everything was new to Mikey, so we decided to give him a brief overview of all the delights this city  has to offer.

Our first stop was the Grand Bazaar...

...before going up onto the roof of the Buyuk Valide Han. 

(See previous post).

Cath and Mikey, and their bird's-eye view of Istanbul

We continued our walk through the maze of streets leading from the Grand Bazaar down to the Spice Bazaar, and on across the Galata Bridge before heading home.

Hmm... so many Turkish Delights to choose from in the Spice Market

Day two was pretty exhausting, taking in the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque, mainly because in all three we were fighting to get through the hoards of tourists, and endless queues!

Cath photographing the Hagia Sophia

There's a great view down the Bosphorus, from the Topkapi Palace.

The final day was much calmer, as we sailed down the Bosphorus, all the way to the last stop, Anadolu Kavagi.

We imagined what it must be like, living on the edge of the Bosphorus

Mikey relaxes on the ferry

The ferry station at Anadolu Kavagi

Here, I opted to save our premium seats by the water's edge, and enjoy a glass of wine, while Cath and Mikey hiked up the steep hill to Yorus Castle, built by the Byzantines, then restored and reinforced by the Genoese, in 1350.

Lunch in a restaurant beside the Bosphorus

After a relaxed lunch, we returned home for our last night together, before they left again for England. It was such a short visit, but David and I had fun, and I hope Cath and Mikey did too. We are looking forward to their next visit.

Here is the video I made of their visit

Elizabeth Coughlan