25/26 Istanbul

Phew…….!!

Funny to think that despite the cold…and despite all the raindrops…and threatening clouds….we have not once (yet!) had to put on our waterproofs whilst riding!

It was very wet and cold in Plovdiv…and we did not Plovdiv.

And now….two days in Istanbul….and it has stopped raining only for about four hours!!   A shame at one level of course…but if it is going to rain….better on rest days!! 

A good excuse for plenty of rest…..but I did venture out…so first….some dry photos (sorry too many photos…!):

Hagia Sophia is certainly one of the world’s most important buildings (certainly the most important Byzantine building)…and has long been a favourite of mine. Not much to see from the outside…but the interior is spectacular. The original church was built in the 6th-century and was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, before being converted to a mosque after the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottamans in the mid 15th century. Ataturk changed its destination to that of museum in 1935 to demonstrate the new secularity of his Turkey. And then, Erdogan decreed it a mosque once more  around three years ago….sadly playing politics with such an iconic building.

I was in Turkey in 1976…and again 8 or 9 years ago…and yes…you can feel the change. Many more headscarves being worn…so it seems that Erdogan’s radical politics are winning the day….and it is looking like he is going to hang on to power once again. We will see!!

Today…alas……it did not stop raining at all!! 

So….I ventured out only as far as the Grand Bazaar (all under cover!) 

…..and carried on to the Spice Bazaar….

………certainly more colourful!

And back in our apartment…..I found this sign on our toilet lid. I honestly have no idea what it means!! Answer on a postcard please!!

And then Martin arrived!! I had sent hom our apartment addresss…and then sent him the address of the nearest bar…where we were waiting for him.

Thankfully…Iain’s vape ran out…so he returned to the apartment..to find Martin walking up and down the staircase, knocking on all the doors looking for an AirBnB!! He is one who does not read his emails!! Hahaha. Gladly had not been there long!!

My partners in cycling ready for the handover!

Post-scrip on vapes in Turkey. Yes…they are illegal here…but go into ANY tobacco shop…ask for a vape…and they appear from under the counter!! So now you know!!