Surprisingly little jet lag and we make the strategically correct call to be queued up at the ticket office at 8 am much to my wife’s chagrin who values her sleep ins. We only have to wait 20 minutes to gain entry. (Later in the day as we walk past the line extends back into the distance and the punters are up for a 1 ½ to 2 hour wait.) This place is gobsmackingly beautiful and massive. It is one of those places where you look around and ask yourself how did they do that in those days? The massive 90 metre dome soars 55 metres over the floor. The dome itself is an architectural marvel defying gravity by virtue of 16 ribs rising from the roof. It was the biggest church in the world at that time and it kept that title for 1000 years. In 1453 it was converted into a mosque and in 1935 a museum. Two years ago it became a mosque again. When I was here in 2018 it was still a museum and entry was by the front door to the ground level. Today tourist entry is to the second level the ground floor reserved for prayer. It is interesting to have done the two, the ground floor experience accentuates the dimensions of the place and today’s gives a prettier overview.
On a roll we high tail it to the Blue mosque and get similarly lucky with the queue again. Built between 1609 and 1620 it derives its name from the blue tiles that dominate the interior. We are lucky to see a wedding happening there in full view of hundreds of us tourists.
Now it is Suzanne’s turn to be blown away!. The grand bazaar here is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Built in 1459 it has 61 covered streets and 4000 shops. My life partner was in 7th heaven!
A late degustation lunch and visit to the Basilica cistern completes the day. The latter was also built by Justinian in the 6th century to supply water to the Topkapi Palace. This is an intriguing otherworldly place that in all of my travels I have not seen anything like it. Since my last visit they have added some coloured lights and lit up crystals which may be “cinematically” attractive but for the purist who is more than satisfied with the historical appreciation of the place it detracts from the experience.
Our final day has us with an early morning visit to the Topkapi Palace and here it is me who is again blown away. While the sprawling palace complex is beautiful there is a particular pavilion which has a collection of incredible relics. Numerous relate to the prophet Mohammed (PBUH) but the ancient biblical stuff ranging from a pot belonging to Abraham to Moses’ staff to John the Baptist and David’s sword leaves me spellbound.
The finale has us on the “wrong side” of queue management with an hour wait to ascend the Galata Tower. Built in 1348 by the Genoese it affords lovely views over the stretch of water known as the Golden Horn to the old city.
