Becca and Amy Visit Istanbul

Amy and Becca

We were delighted to have Becca and her friend Amy to stay with us in Istanbul. Although there were demonstrations against the government all over this great city while they were here, we managed to travel around undisturbed to see the sights.

We sailed down the Bosphorus...

 

 ...crossed from Asia to Europe and back on the ferries

...marvelled at the Turkish delight and baklava

...puzzled over Turkish menus

 ...visited the Grand Bazaar. 

 ...climbed to the roof of the Buyuk Valide Han

...photographed the view

...and visited Buyukada, one of the Princes islands.

Becca and Amy leave on their tour of the island.

Becca and Amy also managed to find their way to the Hagia Sophia by themselves, with some Turkish phrases written down to enable them to negotiate the transport.

On their last day, David took them to see Taksim Square and Gezi Park, so they could see for themselves what the fuss is all about. That was the day before Becca's birthday, so we took them out to a local restaurant in celebration.

 Becca was surprised when "Happy Birthday to you" rang out over the sound system.

...and silver confetti rained from above, as the waiters brought her a candle to blow out.

That dessert looks delicious too!

Now Becca and Amy are enjoying their tour of Europe. We hope they are having a wonderful time, and we are looking forward to meeting up with them in Italy next week.

We visit the Topkapi Palace

Becca couldn't leave Istanbul without seeing the Topkapi Palace, so we set aside a day to do just that. The site is huge, so it is never a short visit. The Topkapi Palace, sits on top a hill, overlooking the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. Its views are quite spectacular, so it is no wonder it was chosen as the original home of the rulers of Constantinople, which became Istanbul.

The church of Saint Irene

As we entered the grounds, we passed the church of Saint Irene, now a concert venue, and made our way through the huge crowds coming and going along the path, to join the queue to buy our ticket. Once inside, we headed for the harem, where the Sultan and his ladies lived. Although their surroundings were quite sumptuous, the women of the harem were prisoners, unable to leave, only used for the pleasure of the Sultan and to provide his heirs.

The Courtyard of the Concubines in the Harem

of the Topkapi Palace

The Courtyard of the Queen Mother, dating from the 15th Century

A window to the outside world, from the Sultan's Privy Chamber

Some of the windows are beautifully decorated with stained glass

Large sections of Topkapi were being renovated, and we felt that we should have been given a discount. Especially as the kitchens are still not open for general view, after years of renovations.

Closed for renovations

We had lunch overlooking a magnificent view of the Bosphorous, and that alone was worth the expense and the crowds.

Becca at Topkapi Palace