ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Follow me through this enchanted city

Spent 48 hours in Istanbul, Turkey, the most enchanting place I've ever visited. I arrived late evening and since I was spending just under two days there, I knew I had to make good use of the time. The sun had set but it was great because I experienced the charm of Istanbul by night on my first day. It was all I had expected: magic carpets (ok, not magic like in "Aladdin" but just go with it), colorful lamps, baklava, pomegranates and more. 

On a stroll through the Sultanamet or Old City Istanbul

It's easy to fall in love with Istanbul because of the multicolored lights shining through stained glass. I love Turkish lamps and lights. They rival the lights of Paris, in my opinion. 

Turkish Iznik ceramic tiles

Fancy a carpet, eh? Well, you can have one made right there on the street!

I wanted every single one of those lamps. Darn those baggage restrictions on airlines!

Thankfully, Istanbul has great late-night food options. It didn't take long for me to find something to sink my teeth into. The streets are lined with kebabs, baklava, fresh fruit, freshly roasted corn, and various nuts.

Roasted corn and chestnuts. The smell is divine!

I chose roasted corn and yup, pretty much ate it right then and there.

Potent spices fill the air with wonderful aromas

She hand rolled flat bread

There are so many beautiful things to buy. Even outside of the souks (markets) there are street vendors selling handcrafted wares. 

I'm so easily persuaded when I see pretty things and yup, still balancing that corn with one hand :)

Another amazing part of Istanbul is that it sits on two continents. Crossing the city via ferry, one can go from Europe to Asia in a matter of minutes. So amazing.

View of the Asia side of Istanbul in the distance

As majestic as Istanbul is at night, it also holds just as much charm and mystique during the day. The best part about Sultanahmet is how close all the monuments are to one another, making it easy to walk around. People are friendly and accommodating to tourists. Also, trains and buses run throughout Istanbul and provide cheap transportation around the city. 

For someone traveling alone, I really lucked out on some fellow tourists who graciously took my picture at different stops

The next day, I began my daylight tour of Istanbul at the Hagia Sophia. Anyone enamored by ancient architecture will gag at this enormous former church and mosque with its dome ceilings and stained glass windows. 

This museum isn't free but it's so worth every penny

Hagia Sophia from outside

A view of the altar area inside Hagia Sophia, first constructed in 537 AD.

It's amazing how well maintained the Hagia Sophia is. It was under restorative construction when I visited but I was still in awe of the structure and breadth of detail at the Hagia Sophia. The underground cisterns are one of the earliest water canals and still exist under this structure.

I visited the Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Blue Mosque, but have to admit, I didn't go in. I'm sad that I didn't get to see the beautiful blue-tiled ceilings.  There was a religious ceremony happening at the time. Although I had a headscarf, as is customary for entering a mosque, and was granted entry, I decided against it because I didn't want to be disrespectful to those who were there for prayer. I settled instead for pictures outside of the structure and grounds which are very impressive.

Resting just outside the Sultan Ahmed Mosque

The Obelisk of Theodosius (Turkish: Dikilitaş) is the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople (known today as At Meydanı or Sultanahmet Meydanı, in the modern city of Istanbul, Turkey) by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD. (Source, Wikipedia). 

I was so pressed to visit this structure of ancient Egypt. I got some great photographs in front of it, thankfully, again to some great fellow tourists. 

There's so much to see in Istanbul. The gold-rimmed buildings with the intricately woven fences are stunning. Everywhere there was an amazing structure to behold. And just as it offers old world sites, there are many modern parts of Istanbul. I was able to visit the shopping areas and more modern parts where young people hang out but I was more drawn to the historic sites and markets.

The Istanbul Grand Bazaar has to be one of the best markets that I've visited and my shopper's heart was so full at all the beautiful things on display. I was sad that I could only buy a few things because I was on a multi-country stop and had limited space in my luggage :( 

Entering the Grand Bazaar

More lamps

More tiles

Yes, pretty things (*rubs hands together*)

The Nazur is believed to ward off the evil eye and many people hang it in their homes around an entryway for protection.

Bracelets and colorful things. Don't mind if I take a look. Ehm, yeah, I negotiate hard, I'm Nigerian. That calculator doesn't intimidate m., I know math necessary for shopping like the back of my hand! :)

I loved Istanbul, I was there in December and although the air was crisp, it wasn't too cold so the black leather jacket worked perfectly for that time of the year. Although it can get cold, I was lucky for great weather and there's no better time to view Istanbul than when the city is decorated in lights. Overall, an amazing trip and a must-visit for everyone. 

Until the next adventure,

XOXO

Moni.