This morning we visited the Grand Bazaar (the largest covered market in the world) where K wanted to buy everything in sight (maybe because of three months deprivation in Africa) but in the end only purchased a scarf, which will come in handy in Turkey. We visited Topkapi Palace with all of its royal and religious relics including the Staff of Moses. Along with the largest emeralds and diamonds we’ve ever seen, to individual hairs from the Prophet’s beard, and also the harem attached to the palace.
We then walked across to the Blue Mosque (which apparently is the only mosque in the world with six minarets), dodging numerous carpet sellers on the way in (do we look like we need a carpet?).
After the mosque it was off to the Basilica Cistern, originally used for water storage - now making good money as a tourist attraction. Around the Sultanahment and Bazaar district in Istanbul everything is so close together, you don’t need to plan the sights you’re going to visit, you can just wander around and the must sees appear on every corner!Dinner was a nice meal at a rooftop restaurant, with views of the sea on one side and the Blue Mosque on the other.
On another note it is so great to have access to a washing machine, our clothes are finally clean again! It’s been about 3 months since the last machine wash, which would have been in Namibia.
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