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. 

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. 

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.

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

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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 :( 

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.