Day 2 – Istanbul

The long-winded version

A good night’s sleep

I slept like a log.

After yesterday’s early start, airport run, party bus and Istanbul traffic, I think my body had given up trying to be brave and simply switched off.

Breakfast, Turkish style

Breakfast was… interesting.

There were boiled eggs, chips and onion rings alongside yoghurt, cherry compote, salads and cheeses. A bit of everything, really.

But one thing is certain. The Turks absolutely know how to make a good coffee.

Meet Mustafa

After breakfast, we met Mustafa, our guide for the day.

He was brilliant. Funny, knowledgeable and very good at reading the group, which is such an underrated skill when you are guiding a bunch of slightly tired travellers around a busy city.

We set off down İstiklal Avenue, the most expensive street in Turkey from a commercial point of view. Apparently, the rent is sky high.

As we walked, we chatted about the famous Istanbul cats. Mustafa came out with a line that made us all laugh:

“You have cats, you don’t have rats.”

Fair enough. Hard to argue with that logic.

Slow exploring and rooftop tea

The pace was gentle, which was perfect.

We wandered through streets full of stories, churches, history and little quirks. Mustafa shared just enough information to make everything interesting, without overloading us with dates and facts.

We also had a lovely rooftop stop for Turkish tea, which gave us a chance to pause, look around and take it all in.

A few standout moments

There were plenty of little highlights throughout the morning.

• The funicular was great fun. And yes, I have now learned how to spell it.
• The Spice Bazaar was colourful, chaotic and very hard to leave empty-handed.
• I came away £30 lighter thanks to some “miracle” eucalyptus spice.
• The trams were like the Tube, but above ground and still stuffed like sardines.

Istanbul really is a full-body experience. There is always something to look at, smell, hear, dodge or laugh about.

The Basilica Cistern

Next, we visited the Basilica Cistern.

This is an ancient underground water system, built to store water for the city. It is a huge, atmospheric space, with columns rising out of shallow water and soft lighting that makes everything feel slightly eerie.

It was fascinating.

And then there was Medusa.

There is a statue head with snakes for hair, used as the base of a column. No one is entirely sure why it is there or why it is positioned the way it is, but it certainly makes a great photo.

Hagia Sophia

We stopped outside Hagia Sophia, one of Istanbul’s most famous and historic buildings.

It is enormous, impressive and full of history. Mustafa’s storytelling really brought it to life. He made it engaging without turning it into a school history lesson, which I always appreciate.

Lunch and the serviette moment

Lunch was at what I have now named “The Doors Restaurant”.

The walls were covered in doors instead of pictures. Strange, but somehow it worked.

The food was lovely, but the highlight was the flatbread moment.

Someone mistook the flatbread for a serviette and, to be fair, it tasted a little bit like one too.

Sometimes the silly little moments are the ones that stay with you.

The Blue Mosque

After lunch, we visited the Blue Mosque.

And wow.

Shoes off, scarves on, and into this calm, beautiful space filled with blue tiles, huge domes and soft light.

What stood out most to me was the relaxed feel of it all. People were praying, resting and chatting quietly. Children were playing. It felt like a living, breathing part of everyday life, not just a tourist attraction.

The segregation of men and women for prayer was interesting to observe too. It gave us all something to think about and talk about afterwards.

I am so glad I went inside this time. It really stayed with me.

A pottery surprise

Next stop was, according to Mustafa, “the best shop in Istanbul”.

Downstairs, we watched a live pottery demonstration. It was totally unexpected and fascinating to see something beautiful being created from scratch right in front of us.

It was one of those lovely surprises that you would probably walk straight past if you were exploring alone.

The Grand Bazaar

We finished the day at the Grand Bazaar.

It is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, with more than 4,000 shops and 21 exits.

If I am being honest, it was not my favourite part of the day.

It was very busy, with lots of similar shops, and it was easy to feel a little overwhelmed. Within 25 minutes, we were all ready to leave.

Sometimes you can admire something and still know when you have had enough.

Take us home, Mustafa

By 4.35pm, we had all reached that point.

“Take us home, Mustafa!”

Some people headed for wine. Others went for a lie down. I was busy sorting boarding passes and transfers.

All done. Tick.

The evening cruise

Then it was time for our evening cruise.

What a night.

There were twinkling lights, good food, belly dancing, Turkish dancing and a full-on I Will Always Love You singalong.

It was loud, lively and great fun. The kind of evening where you stop checking the time and just go with it.

The minibus moment

The highlight of the day came afterwards.

A birthday celebration turned into a full-on dance party in a moving minibus.

Music blasting. Dancing in the aisle. Everyone laughing.

One man proudly declared “my beautiful wife” as she danced, and it was just pure joy.

You cannot plan those moments. They just happen.

Midnight moments

Back at the hotel, we squeezed in a quick celebration for Trudi’s birthday.

Then we shared our roses and thorns.

There were a few happy tears. That is what happens when people are tired, grateful and fully in the moment.

It was a lovely way to end a very full day.

Goodnight Istanbul

I went to bed feeling completely content.

Tired, but happy.

It had been a day full of colour, culture, laughter, food, dancing, cats, mosques and memories.

Tomorrow… Cappadocia.