Planning the trip is always of great importance, especially when you're travelling by yourselves. I agree that following a travel agency is much more convenient, still I prefer self-planned trip because for sure it is so much more enjoyable! Well, I'm kind of confident that I am a good trip planner and I had experience in planning trips to Guilin (a city in south China) last spring, to Thailand last summer, and Harbin and Beijing this winter. I was so concentrated when I was searching information beforehand that my parents joked that I should have majored in Tourism in university. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with doing research, right?
So 1:00a.m. Friday morning, we got onto the bus. It was raining in Ankara, as predicted, and the loud thunders with lightening scared us a little bit about the six-hour long night bus ride. Anyhow, all of us couldn't wait to see the historical Istanbul, no matter what weather it is.
7:00a.m., finally we arrived in the city. Good morning, Istanbul!
First impression of Istanbul? Nice weather! Seeing the clear blue sky, I knew that it was going to be a sunny day. Lucky us! Sorry, I'm not going to trust you any more, weather forecaster!
The hostel we booked online is located in Taksim, one of the most popular places where mostly young people go in central Istanbul. Hum, eight o’clock in the morning walking in Taksim Street just reminded me of walking in West Street in Yangshuo (a famous county close Guilin, China for backpackers). The two streets are similar in that shops, restaurants, bars, clubs, and hostels occupy both sides and make you feel busy checking them out. Well, there is always something similar among tourism spots, and you can tell that mostly young people are the target group because they’re the largest consumer group nowadays, I think.
It is not too difficult to get around in Istanbul with metro and tram, as written in some guide books. After talking to the nice people at our hostel, well, better keep to our schedule. Blue Mosque, first stop.
In Turkish, it is called Sultanahmet Camii (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), however, it is known as Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. This is my first time visiting a Muslim mosque, I paid a lot of attention to the architectural factors. Its design is the culmination of two centuries of both Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church development. It incorporates some Byzantine elements with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period.
Hagia Sophia, the next. From the Greek name "Ἁγία Σοφία", which means "Holly Wisdom", the cathefral is famous for its massive dome. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and to have "changed the history of architecture."
Interior Hagia Sophia, emperors used to be crowned here
I know pictures are not enough. Hey, check this video.
Time for shopping! Destination Grand Bazaar! You will probably get lost here because it is almost a labyrinth. You can get everything about Turkey here, but usually you need to bargain to at least half of the price the shop owner asks. I like the bazaar because it is a good place for tourists to get souvenirs. On the other hand, I dislike it because local businessmen are too tricky on tourists that they make you feel uncomfortable. I’ve been to similar places in China and Thailand, it is almost the same situation as locals always want to cheat tourists and make money. But I think as long as you have the idea of protecting yourself, you can always get ideal souvenirs at reasonable prices.
What can be the other interesting places to go on the second day in Istanbul? Topkapi Palace. It was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years of their 600-year reign, from 1465 to 1856. The Harem inside the palace, containing more than 400 rooms, were homes to Sultan, Valide Sultan, or Mother Queen, Sultan's concubines and wives, and the rest of his family. When I was visiting the Harem, I feel something similar between it and the Forbidden City in Beijing. Emperors, no matter in which part of the world, were always treated as the son of God and live a superior life. This is a kind of political revolution in human history that most countries have experienced.
Another video about Topkapi Palace and Bosphorus Bridge
See the nice weather in the video? You know what? We were so lucky because it started to rain when we took the bus back to Ankara, which means we avoided the rain luckily. When back to Ankara, my friend told me that it was not good weather in Ankara. Hum, we had escaped to Istanbul from the bad weather!
Good things must come to an end. As the Istanbul trip this weekend is quite short, we didn't have enough time to go to all attractions in the city. We know that there are way more to see, such as the Asian Side, the Prince Island, etc. And we understand that it takes at least one week to "study" Istanbul. Never mind, we know we will be back. Studying Istanbul is included in my study plan in Turkey.
Stay tuned for more exploration.
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