Basars and Mosques

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Just went to Istanbul last weekend. Walking through the rainy city for two days, we got to see the basic tourists attractions: We started at the Galata Tower, where some say that you get a good view over the Bosphorus (at least when the weather is not as bad as it was). We decided that we don't pay 5 $ for seeing clowds. In general, prizes for students are quite high (all major sights 12 Turkish Lira, ca. 8 $ with no chance to get discount).

Leaving Beyoglu, we crossed the bridge over the Golden Horn. On the bridge you can find dozens of fishermen at any time and weather. They take out their fishing rods every minute and get up to five fishes, which you can eat in the restaurants below the bridge. Later we got stuck in different basars and finally headed for the Süleymaniye mosque, which was worth spending about four hours.

The center of Istanbul night life is the Istiklal Caddesi again in Beyoglu, where we had a great dinner. Avoid places where people speak English - the food is much better in the Turkish restaurants and they don't cheat you! Lots of people in Istanbul we very helpful and offered to show us the way when we desperately looked at the map - but you also find annoying tourist guides which bother you when you get close to any palce you find in your guidebook. The great basar (Kapali Carsi) is especially designed for foreigners: The craftsmen look like businessmen, speak good English and don't expect anyone from Turkey to buy their goods.

Skipping the Topkapi Palace, we spend the next morning in the Hagia Sophia which really is amazing! 1500 after its construction you can still imagine how the Romans celebrated christian service. The Ottomans covered mosaiks showing men and left big boards with names like Allah and Muhammed. In 1934/35 Attaturk turned it in a museum. Opposite the Hagia Sophia you find the "muslim answer" to the Roman Hagia: The Blue Mosque, also a must. Seeing the Hippodrom next door, for the evening we went back to Beyoglu. We should have stayed there instead of Sultanahmet (the quarter with the Haghia Sophia and Blue Mosque). That was it - meeting lots of people on the streets, having uncounted cups of teas and visiting the major mosques we had to leave the Bosphorus.

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Photos

Fishermen
Successful fishing at the Golden Horn

Süleymaniye
Inside Istanbuls largest mosque

Hagia Sophia
Since 1935, some Roman mosaiques (covered by the Ottoman muslims) were restored

Saint Anthony Church
There are not only mosques in Istanbul. You find lots of churches and...

Synagogue
... some synagogues as well. Note the security check at the entrance (there were attacks in Istanbul 2003).