IBack in Istanbul, installed in our very comfortable hotel for the next 4 nights, we are ready to tackle the city again. So over three days, we plan to see the big sights we didn't see three weeks ago, go on a Bosphorus Cruise, wander streets, alleys and the bazaar, and dine out on some more Turkish food.

 
In the big attraction category was the Hagia Sofya Museum, the monument in Istanbul with the largest crowds. To avoid the queues we bought the 72 lira Museum card. This allowed us to enter via a much smaller queue and gave access to a number of other sites.
 

 
The Aya Sofya was hailed as the greatest Christian church until Mehmet the Conqueror converted it to a mosque in 1453. It became a museum in 1933 and has been undergoing renovation since then. There is quite a bit of scaffolding there at the moment but it is still a magnificent building (though personally I don’t think it can beat the Mosque of Cordoba, Spain). The dome is renowned because of its design, which gives it an illusion of being unsupported. There is also an unusual feature, a raised and screened area at the front corner of the mosque where the Sultan could come to pray unobserved. 
 
 
But the mosaics are what stand out here. Not many are complete, but the many very small tiles that were used to complete the pictures are brilliant and must have taken ages to execute. Of interest is the mosaic of Empress Zoe, her husband Constantine and Jesus Christ. It is said she had three husbands and each time she remarried she had the face in the mosaic changed to the current man in her life. 

 
 
Right by is the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. It has three buildings so a lot to take in, and we picked and chose what we saw. There were many sarcophagi in the main building. Never knew of the variety or how big some of them were. 

The tiled Kiosk of Sultan Mehmet is another building, with some beautiful tile work. By this time it was after 1pm, and it seemed that was probably enough culture for one day, but after we recovered over a coffee we decided to visit the Istanbul Gallery of Modern Art. The Gallery is right by the place where the cruise ships berth, so as a ship was in the only view from the gallery was of the liner. But inside the exhibitions were wonderful. All Turkish artists and only one piece from each artist, so there is a lot of talent there.

   
 
The next day, refreshed, we visited the Topkapi Palace, where the sultans lived until the 19th century. It is a massive place, three courtyards, lots of buildings, and in the best spot in town overlooking the Sea of Marmaris. The Harem, or imperial family quarters, is the most extravagantly decorated area. Wonderful place, and it takes quite a while to negotiate all the buildings. The Treasury has the largest diamond I have ever seen - 86 carats! But I couldn't photograph there.
 
On the final day we took a ferry boat up the Bosphorus Strait. It takes 90 minutes to travel from the Sea of Marmaris to the Black Sea in the North. As we travelled, Europe was on one side and Asia on the other. There is housing, much of it quite upmarket, the whole way along the trip. It was a glorious day weather-wise, so lovely to be on the water. And guess what? In Andolu Kavagi, the last stop, there is a castle at the top of a steep hill from which the Black Sea can be viewed. We had three hours before the return trip, so before we had lunch at one of the many fish restaurants here, we headed uphill. Again! 

 It was a very good day out, and for A$13 or so, good value as well.

 
But what we really like to do is just wander the city. Which we did. We happened upon different section of the Grand Bazaar than the one visited previously. I changed my mind and decided it was well worth visiting. Here were spices, teas, herbs, ceramics, glass, etc . Lots to see. No pushy vendors, so had a good time wandering there. When we decided to head home we also spent quite some time finding the way. There are so many streets and alleys the required direction is hard to work out.
 
 
 
We ate one night at a strangely named place - the Pudding Shop. Not the greatest food and probably the only curt waiter we have encountered, but we wanted to try this place of historical interest to travellers from 1957 onwards. This was a place on the earlier route of those travelling overland from Europe to Asia where tourist information could be found, transport organised and cheap Turkish food consumed. I later asked our good friends A and C did they visit the shop during intrepid travelling days, and sure enough they had been there in 1977! 

 
We also ate twice at Cesme, close to our hotel where staff were lovely and food was excellent - particularly the grilled sea bream - and of course the puffy bread hot from the oven. Break it open and delicious smell of hot bread envelopes you.

We could have spent longer in Istanbul. And in Turkey as well. We drove 3200 kms after our flight to Kayseri but only saw a fraction of the country. There is a lot of variety in the scenery and the people are so welcoming. But there are more good things in store in the UK, so tomorrow early we leave for London - again.