Istanbul... Wow

[Simon (Highwayman)]

Just arrived in Istanbul. I have read about it being a fusion of Europe meeting Asia but I didn't expect this.

It is amazing. Sitting looking at a mosque, eating pizza and listening to a strange mix up of turkish traditional music mixed up with jazz

[Patti (baconater)]

Yay!

Pizza????.

You pillock. So much great food there! There's a place down by the harbour where you can get THE BEST FISH SANDWICH OF YOUR LIFE!

Mmmmmmm

Restaurant row pissed me off. You'll know what I mean...

[Simon (Highwayman)]

I feel a bit guilty about the pizza but I just flew in, a bit tired. Need a beer. Pizza is on the menu so it was easy grub. I'm looking forward to a day in the blue mosque and haghia sophia

[Patti (baconater)]

Don't wear shorts above your knees and be aware of where to leave your shoes.

And do enjoy how your smiles are welcomed.

Great with a cheery 'salaam'.

Thank with 'sag olun' which is the very polite form.

[Simon (Highwayman)]

You want me to wear my shorts round my ankles? I don't think that is going to go down too well.

[Patti (baconater)]

Ha! All depends on how well you get them down!

[Patti (baconater)]

And now you want me to google bath houses...

What are you like.

[David]

Gorgeous city. Bought a carpet there, of course. But loved the feeling I had that the merchant was more interested in drinking tea with me than selling me a rug. Turks are wonderful people.

[Simon (Highwayman)]

I'm really looking forward to going to see the blue mosque and haghia. One more cup of coffee and I'm off. The people seem great. Last night I sat outside some old ruins of bucoleon palace. I've just checked my book and it says you shouldn't go alone as the tramps live there. I think I lowered the tone of the place. I wondered why people kept throwing me money :-)

[Simon (Highwayman)]

How does religion inspire people to build amazing things? Haghia was quite impressive. The queue to the blue mosque just awesome :-)
Will tackle that one tomorrow morning I think.

[S.]

Owww..I only managed a drive past the last time I'm there. The metro is impressive too :)

[David]

Simon (Highwayman) wrote: "How does religion inspire people to build amazing things? Haghia was quite impressive. The queue to the blue mosque just awesome :-)
Will tackle that one tomorrow morning I think."

I remember being pretty overwhelmed by it. Took a year long course in Byzantine History at university ages ago. One of my favorite classes. Walking through the Haghia Sophia, I kept remembering the lecture on John Chrysostom, although I guess he was too early to have actually preached there.

[Debbie]

The place is amazing. We went to Istanbul on our honeymoon. Fish restaurant on the harbour - where the waiters were armed with water pistols to shoot the cats waiting next to every table. We even went to one place where a cat climbed in my bag and fell fast asleep.

The food is awesome - cheap, tasty. The people we met were wonderful. I almost moved there (was tentatively offered a job at Istanbul University).

Best city ever. And that late evening call to prayer. Wow.

[Simon (Highwayman)]

It is cat city. They are everywhere. Really. I have never seem anything like it and it appears they are looked after. I watched an old boy feeding them earlier. Is there a cat worship thing?

Anyway, I am really impressed by the way they call you to beer five times a day. The UK landlords have a lot to learn.

[Debbie]

Call to beer...chuckle

[David]

Simon (Highwayman) wrote: "It is cat city. They are everywhere. Really. I have never seem anything like it and it appears they are looked after. I watched an old boy feeding them earlier. Is there a cat worship thing?

Anyw..."

There used to be this fish restaurant in Massawa on the Red Sea coast. Every time I ate there, it was crawling with cats--on the table, under the table. Maybe it's the fish that attracts them? Fish at this place was great, by the way. All they served was roasted fish and flat-bread. Was known as the "Yemeni Fish House" because the owner was from Yemen. When you asked what kind of fish they were serving, the answer was always: "Red Sea fish."

[Simon (Highwayman)]

I am feeling rather smug. A week ago something very bad was going on with my knee. I thought I was not going to get here.
I am absolutely buggered but...
Blue mosque
Haghia
Bosphorus
Topkapi
Spice bazaar

Plus a few towers, mosques and bars...

I can recommend although Budapest seemed to have more soul.

Next stop......

Any suggestions?

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Try Azerbaijan...


Its ok, she isn't there at the moment.

[Patti (baconater)]

They won't let him in without an invite from me. *smug*

Barcelona?

Rome?

Oh! Tbilisi!

I liked Tblisi.

[Simon (Highwayman)]

Love Barcelona. Been to Rome but don't remember much. Tblisi could be possible but it will play havoc with my mobile auto correct!

[Patti (baconater)]

Let me know if you do Tblisi and I'll tell you where to stay. It's really spread out and you don't want to do the metro every time you step out of the hotel. Although, the metro is very good. They announce the stops in English and everything! Baku doesn't.

REALLY good pubs with 'proper' beer in the central touristy bit, if I recall correctly...