Istanbul, Turkey

Because we would be in Europe for longer than 90 days (the length of our visitor’s visa), it was important to leave the Schengen Area at some point, hence our trip to Istanbul for a week. I had visited back in 2011 but Bruce had never been, and the iconic city probably should be on most people’s bucket list for a visit at some point in their lives.

We flew from Zagreb to Belgrade, Serbia, and then on to Istanbul on the same day. Our first impression, as we flew into the new International Istanbul Airport, which opened in April 2019 replacing the old Ataturk Airport, was the massive size of the city – 15 million inhabitants and spread out for miles.

Once again, Bruce had done an outstanding job at booking an Airbnb on the Golden Horn, right underneath the Galata Tower and with a view of people on the top of the tower from our kitchen window. We were excited to be the first in line for tickets to enter the tower early the morning after our arrival and appreciated a quiet and peaceful viewing of the city with its famous landmarks spread out before us.

Istanbul is absolutely full-on and crowds throng at every tourist site, prompting us to start early on our daily excursions.

We got to know the locals with businesses nearby and tried to support them as best we could – the all-family affair in the breakfast/lunch café underneath and another new one which was opening and starting up that week. We enjoyed chatting to the proprietors (those who could speak English), quizzing them about life in Turkey.

Insert from Bruce: "On the 23rd of June, I visited the Gallipoli Peninsula with a company called 'Crowded House Tours', an appropriate name I thought. Nick had visited 12 years ago and recommended the experience. It was a long day, with a 6.00 am pick up and return 14.5 hours later, but you had to do it for the 'Diggers' who fought there.

There was an hour-long presentation (abbreviated version) provided by the excellent guide as to the background of the battles. Unfortunately, the whole operation was a complete failure and there were approximately 380,000 casualties over a nine-month period from all sides, including 7900 from New Zealand. We visited many sites over five hours and were provided with an explanation of each battle, and the various memorial cemeteries, many were previously mass graves.

The landing location, (now named ANZAC Cove) was incorrect and the mistakes just multiplied from then onwards. It was a complete 'stuff up' but we were invading Turkey. The background was to enable the supply lines of armaments to Russia so they could assist in defeating Germany. Slightly ironic now of course. The day sent a chill down my spine as the explanations

unfolded, they were doomed from the beginning.

The guide said that this battle started the process for Turkey to become an independent nation and New Zealand and Australian troops would never again be under the command of another country. In many ways, the growing independence of New Zealand and Australia as well.

A lot of young Kiwis and Australians were on the tour, the first Kiwis travellers I had met so far on our trip. Put this on the list if you ever reach Turkey, it was a great experience, and makes ANZAC day more relevant".

Highlights of Istanbul:
Walking tour with Purin: Long and hot but we enjoyed the local knowledge and historical anecdotes.

Hagia Sophia (means Holy wisdom): Firstly, a Christian Byzantine Basilica erected between 532 and 537 AD; converted to a mosque after the Ottoman Conquest in 1453; converted to a museum by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1935;

then back to a mosque by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July 2020. The good news being that entry to the mosque is now free rather than quite pricey while still a museum. The only issue was the crowds all wanting to see the magnificent building and finding the best time to avoid waiting for hours in the hot sun.

The Blue Mosque: Named for the blue tiles dominating the interior, finished in 1620, a magnificent building complex. Sitting in the courtyard and hearing the call to prayer emanating from the minarets was quite an experience. Most mosques have four minarets and the anecdotal reason for the six minarets on the Blue Mosque is as follows - The sultan supposedly had asked to have altın minare (minarets in gold) and the architect understood altı minare (which means six minarets). Lost in translation perhaps?

Topkapi Palace: The largest and oldest surviving palace in the world, construction started in 1465 and served the Ottoman state for four hundred years. Huge complex, incredible opulence, fascinating to visit. We didn’t visit the Harem (Nicola did in the past). Loved the clothing/costumes section – the colours, designs, fabrics are spectacular.

Galata Tower: Built by the Genoese in the mid-1300s to add to their wall for defence purposes. Multiple uses since, including as a dungeon for slaves, and fire lookout tower. Provides a majestic view across to the skyline of the old city.

The Grand Bazaar: Was actually a cooler relief from the hot sun and not chock-a-block with shoppers at the time. Interestingly, there were several TV crews outside the money changer stalls at the entrances to the bazaar, reporting on the dramatic fall in the Turkish Lira at the time. They were surrounded by crowds of stressed-looking men yelling into their phones and

all vying for the attention of the moneychanger.

It was very tricky buying transport tickets, as vending machines are often only in Turkish and frequently don’t work anyway! At one point, Nicola was stranded outside the entry gates for the tram and Bruce was inside and powerless to help – amazingly she managed to recharge the transport card by pressing buttons randomly, more good luck than anything. She did not want to contemplate the long hot walk back to our accommodation!

Fashion tip for kiwis for the coming summer season – we both noted a real trend in Europe this summer for matching, vividly-patterned and coloured tops and bottoms for both females and males – shirts and shorts, shirts and trousers, previously old-fashioned trouser suits, shirts and skirts – absolutely anything goes, so get in quick folk and become avantgarde fashionistas!