Istanbul: Grand Bazaar & Cruise

I started the day with a trip to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. The entrance below looks like something out of Harry Potter and Diagon Alley. Once you enter, you are bombarded with a huge complex with endless shops featuring gold, rugs, lamps, teas, shoes and many other items.

It’s easy to get lost in here and spend hours upon hours if you have the patience and money to shop. It is worth nothing that you HAVE to bargain for any goods here. I was in need of a cane and the price started at 3000 Lira and got negotiated down to 1000 Lira. Yeah, I still likely overpaid for it but at least I overpaid 2/3 less! It’s actually a nice hand carved cane with simple but nice decorations on it.

After the Bazaar, I headed to turn in my laundry for cleaning so that and lunch in between took up most of the day. The evening we spent on a cruise up and down the Bosporus. The guide on this 2 hour cruise gave us a rich history of the culture, events and landscape around the area.

The mosque on the top of the hill is relatively new however it is constructed to appear like the other older ones.

Sailing up then down the channel. The cruise serves fruits, nuts, teas, and pastries throughout the journey.

Rumelihisari fortress (image below).

The King’s Palace (image below). Only the king is allowed to use the tower in the image.

It’s called a sunset cruise for a reason!

Nice silhouette as the sun sets.

More tomorrow!