Istanbul miscellany 5

Lokum, or Turkish delight, all kinds of delightful treats.

Istanbul miscellany 4

Incredibly beautiful Iznik blue tiles decorate many mosques in Istanbul.

Istanbul miscellany 3

Not really a restaurant but a floating kitchen where the fresh mackerel are grilled and then made into sandwiches which all the patrons devour sitting on low stools. Only in Istanbul.

Istanbul miscellany 2

Fishing off the Galata bridge.

Istanbul miscellany 1

Candy making outside the Blue mosque in Istanbul.

Kariye muzesi 3

 The  beautiful.marbled panels on the wall, absolutely gorgeous.

 Christ and the bible.

 Mary and baby Jesus.

 The marbled floor.

It is a truly magnificent church, a Byzantine legacy.

Kariye muzesi 2

Fascinating Byzantine mosaics.

Kariye muzesi

 Next to the Haghia Sophia, is my other favorite church in Istanbul. A former Byzantine church but is now a museum. It still holds some of the most dazzling frescoes and mosaics.

Its kind of out of the way but well worth the effort to get out there, near the old walls. Just take a taxi there and try to find another taxi back. Coming back to the Sultanahmet area is tricky because of the traffic around the Eminonu area. What I do is as we approach the Eminonu area, to tell the driver 'taman' or OK to let you out. Then get out and walk through the Grand Bazaar to find you way back to Sultanahmet. This way you avoid the horrible traffic. I've become so familar with Istanbul, its almost scary!

Disembarkation

 The cruise being over we got off the boat.

 And straight into lunch. Here the restaurant is another boat where they grill the mackerel.

We sit dockside on little stools to eat our fish sandwich. Only in Istanbul.

A Bosphorus cruise

 A trip cost 10TL per person if you bought the tickeet dockside. There are touts that will sell you tickets at 15TL around the Haghia Sophia courtyard.

 As we pushed off we can see the Istanbul skyline, so beautiful.

The Galata bridge.

 We passed luxury cruise liners that probably sail the Black sea.

 We passed the Dolmabahce palace.

 We passed other boats.

 An Ottoman wall.

And then back to Eminonu where we disembarked.