Having planned this entire trip (to Egypt and Tanzania) on Turkish Airlines, we ended up at Istanbul three consecutive Sundays (1/15, 1/22 and 1/29) Like other national airlines (e.g. Singapore), Turkish Airlines offers free local sightseeing tours of the city depending on the time and length of your layover, provided you are flying in and out on Turkish. Our first two layovers weren't long enough to fit in to one of their offers. The last one had a (voluntary) break journey of more than 24 hours, and therefore, did not qualify. But because our 1/31 return flight was rescheduled to 2/1, Turkish provided overnight accommodation and meals (though not the tour - which we did not need.)
Sun 01/15/17 (one hour)
This first layover was barely one hour (6:05 PM - 7:05 PM) - just enough to run from Gate 223 to Gate 203 on our way to Egypt. Luckily, the airport is all on one level and you do not need to go out and clear security again. So all we had to do was to run - though it really wasn't necessary. Flight 80 from SFO had arrived on time, and our flight to CAI (Cairo) had just started boarding when we got there. It was only a 2:15 hour flight (after already having flown 13 hours nonstop.)
We had seats 12A and 12C, and sure enough someone showed up for 12B. It was an Egyptian woman wearing traditional garb including Hijab. She did speak English as I later found out, though there wasn't much conversation. After the plane reached its altitude, we were served some snacks and drinks. She took one bite and stopped. She looked pale and appeared queasy. She was looking for airsickness bag but did not have one in her seat pocket. I offered mine and asked her if she was OK. She said she was, but didn't look like it. Two minutes later, she got up and went to the restrooms in the back with airsickness bag in her hand.
Moments later, there was an announcement "is there a medical doctor on board?" I wondered if that woman was OK. Soon, a flight attendant with a doctor came from the front of the plane and started talking to the person in 11B, who was obviously confused. It would be a huge coincidence if both 11B and 12B had medical emergencies simultaneously - unless it was food poisoning. I had already eaten my snack and did not have any problems - nor did anyone else around me.
By then, they realized the confusion (the flight attendant in the back must have signaled them.) and went to the back of the plane. About 20 minutes later, the woman in 12B returned - she looked normal, and said that she was fine now. Small things could become a big thing at 30000 feet.
More importantly, I wondered if I am traveling too much. Over the years, I heard those announcement "is there a medical doctor on board?" from time to time, but not for anyone near me. In June 2016, returning from South America, a woman in the row ahead of us had trouble - possible food poisoning, and that kept flight attendants distracted the whole time. It started soon after take off - though the woman was fine by the time we landed. (She apologized to people around her.) And this time, it happened to someone sitting right next to me. Fluke or omen?
Sun 01/22/17 (six hours)
Return flight from CAI was about 2 1/2 hours reaching IST at 1:10 PM. Because we had checked bags directly to JRO (Kilimanjaro, Tanzania), we were luggage-free at IST for the 6 hour layover.
We were meeting someone (Emir) at the airport for a short period today, and again next week when we were spending 2-3 days in Istanbul. We, therefore, had to clear Passport Control to exit the airport. For some reason, there was a very long line. May be too many flights landed all at once. Luckily, we were able to send a WhatsApp message to Emir, so he knew about the delay. (The following Sunday, we were arriving about the same time, and would need to do same Passport Control again. But that day lines moved quickly.)
Turkey offers eVisa (or you could get a visa on arrival - there wasn't much line for it) for additional $0.70 processing charge on top of $20 visa fee per person. With eVisa in hand, I expected things to move faster, but that wasn't the case. Like many/most other airports, there was a faster line for citizens, and a longer line for everyone else. Only when all the citizens were processed, our line sped up. In all, it took an hour but then we came out quickly.
We didn't have much time to go visit any sights nearby, but then again, we'd have more time next week just for that. Instead, we had a nice long coffee break and chat before continuing on to Tanzania leaving at 7 PM for a 7 hour flight to JRO (Kilimanjaro.)
Funny story - I know better than to joke with anyone in uniform, especially in a foreign country. You absolutely want to watch what you say around airport security/ customs/ immigration. But they are also human beings and they too have a sense of humor. So as we were leaving Istanbul we had to go through Passport Control again. (We had six month multiple entry visa.) As usual, you stand behind the yellow line, then the entire family goes together when called. Just as we were approaching the (female) immigration officer, she asked if we were Indians. I couldn't resist and asked if she liked Indians. She said yes. "In that case, we are Indians!" was my reply. She laughed. Of course, I was handing her my US passport to scan and stamp - so she would know, but it created a light-hearted moment. (P.S. Same experience in Egypt as well.)
Sun 01/29/17 (2-3 days)
We landed on time. Luckily, there was not much wait for Passport Control this time, nor at the Turkish counter to change our flight to 2/1. We were on our own (for hotel, etc.) for the 29th and 30th, but from 31st - for one day - Turkish Airlines would arrange for hotel/meal vouchers. For that, however, we will have to come back to the Airport on the 31st, visit the Hotel Desk at Arrivals.
With Emir, we took taxi to Hotel Alilass, just two blocks away from the Blue Mosque. On the way, we entered through one of gates of Istanbul's famous sea walls (Bizans Surlari.) After checking in at this small hotel, and dropping our bags, we left for sight seeing. It was partly cloudy, breezy and cold. We had 3-4 hours of daylight, and Emir was a fantastic host. He wanted to make sure that we know the lay of the land, have the tools (metro card) and sufficient time to visit places we were interested in without rushing.
First we walked to Topkapi Palace and determined that 85TL(Turkish Lira) or $24 Museum Pass, good for 5 days, would work best for us given all things we wanted to see. But the lines were long, so we decided to purchase them first thing tomorrow morning. We also had to keep the Closed days in mind - Grand Bazaar closed Sundays, Hagia Sophia and Archaeological Museum closed Mondays, Topkapi Palace closed on Tuesdays, etc.
Next we walked by Hagia Sophia to the German Fountain. It is a gazebo styled fountain in the northern end of old hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square), constructed to commemorate the visit of German Emperor Wilhelm II to Istanbul. It was built in Germany, then transported piece by piece and assembled in its current site in 1900.
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| The German Fountain |
The Hippodrome, Greek horse racing stadium, itself no longer exists, but the center (Spina) of Hippodrome is marked by three remaining monuments - Serpent Column, Obelisk of Thutmose II (or Theodosius) and Walled Obelisk
- Serpent Column was cast to celebrate the victory of the Greeks over the Persians during the Persian Wars in the 5th century BC
- Obelisk of Theodosius was carved from pink granite. It was originally erected at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor, Egypt during the reign of Thutmose III in about 1490 BC. Theodosius had the obelisk cut into three pieces and brought to Constantinople in 390 AD. The top section survives nearly 3,500 years, where it stands today, in astonishingly good condition.
- Walled Obelisk was erected In the 10th century at the other end of the Hippodrome. It was originally covered with gilded bronze plaques, but they were sacked by Latin troops in the Fourth Crusade. The stone core of this monument still survives.
Next, we visited the Blue Mosque just as the prayer call was starting. In good old days, Imam/muezzin used to climb up one of the minarets to give a prayer call. These days, loudspeakers do the job so no one has to climb anymore.
As the prayer was ending, we entered the mosque. It is indeed Impressive.
Next up on the agenda was dinner at Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi, next to T1 Tram tracks. Food was excellent. Taste was of course different. Many items like Halva/sheera, Gulab jamun, salad, yoghurt, soup (sadha varan) were very similar to Indian dishes.
We then took T1 tram to Eminonu to see where the bus stops were, where to catch ferry to Asia, and most importantly purchased MetroCard. We walked across the Galata Bridge, noted where the spice market, and Sulemaniye Mosque were. It was getting dark, and chillier as well. We had a long day already, so we returned to the hotel. On the way back, we saw beautifully lit Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. The sky was clear by now.
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| Blue Mosque |
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| Hagia Sophia |
Tomorrow, it was expected to be cloudy, but actually had rain/snow flurries until 10 am. Rest of the day would still be cloudy but should not interfere with our plans. We planned to spend the morning inside Topkapi Palace
Mon 01/30/17
It was cloudy drizzly in the morning, but not too bad. We had breakfast at 8, and left at 9 just when Topkapi Palace was to open. There was no wait for tickets - we bought 5 day Museum Pass with a credit card.
At the entrance of the Palace, there was security check. For Museum Pass check, we were supposed to scan it at the fare gates, but mine wouldn't work. I remember handing the pass over to the gate attendant, but didn't remember taking it back and put in my pocket. And the pass was gone. I realized it when we had to use it again at the Harem. I spend half an hour retracing my steps, checking all pockets and backpack, and even asking the gate attendant. No luck. That was truly annoying.
Of the 85TL price of the Museum Pass, The Palace itself was 40TL. Will purchase it again next time we need one.
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| Topkapi Place Middle Gate |
Topkapi Palace had a colorful history which started when Mehmed II conquered Constantinople and replacing Byzantine Empire with Ottoman Empire there. The Palace grew over time as each Sultan added their palaces and other buildings - and even kitchens. Now a museum, you can visit much of the palace, though the Treasury was closed for renovation.
Archaeological museum, within the Palace Complex, was closed today - will try tomorrow. We then walked over to Tram T1 to Eminonu - 3 stops away. One side was Harbor Ferry. One was about to leave so we got on it for a 25 minute ride to Asia (Uskudar)
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| Semsi Pasa Mosque, Uskudar |
Although the sky was cloudy, there were periods of partial clearing. It was still cold and breezy as we walked along to shoreline towards Maiden's Tower.
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| Maiden's Tower |
After returning to Eminonu taking the same ferry back, we did a counter clockwise circle back to our hotel. First up was Spice Market.
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| Spice Market |
Although it was crowded with locals, it was definitely a tourist trap and we knew that. I certainly wanted to see what it looked like, and at least get some Turkish Delight samples to bring back. Once again, we were considered Indians, which I suppose helped with bargaining. The prices however varied dramatically. They all however gave us samples of their "best Delights" which helped us make our decision easier in the end. Delight made with honey tasted better than the one with sugar. The nuts and other fillings were to your preference. We purchased 5-6 logs of different flavors to bring back. Shopping done.
Just getting out of Spice Market from the other end was a chore. It was even worse outside where it was street shops and vendors selling everything under the sun, and it was crowded with locals shopping.
We made our way up the hill to Sulemaniye Mosque, where it was completely quiet. We just hand carried our shoes with us inside the Mosque.
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| Sulemaniye Mosque |
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| Sulemaniye Mosque |
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| Sulemaniye Mosque |
Out from the other side, we re-traced back partway and then climbed up another hill down to Basilica Cistern. Read more about it elsewhere, but basically, it is one the old water storage facility for Constantinople above which a Basilica is built. Another tourist trap where you can have your photos taken dressed in Ottoman period dresses. And a separate ticket too - not covered by the Museum Pass.
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| Random people having their pictures taken. |
Once toured by boats, platforms are built throughout with lighting provided to enhance the experience. Dripping water throughout adds to the mystery of this place. No wonder this has been used in many movies including 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love.
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| Basilica Cistern |
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| Medusa at Basilica Cistern |
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| Basilica Cistern |
That was a full day of sightseeing. Hoping for a better weather tomorrow.
Tue 01/31/17
It was absolutely a clear sunny day - still cool. After 8 am breakfast, we left at 8:45 am to re-visit the Blue mosque to take photos. It was too early and therefore, not crowded at all. In fact, we were let in from a side entrance instead of the main courtyard. Taking more photos of the hippodrome monuments under clear skies, we walked over to Hagia Sophia just when it was opening.
Security was tight, and though not crowded, certainly had a line to purchase tickets. Debated about getting just the single entry ticket, but decided to purchase a new 5 day pass with the expectation that by the time we see a couple of other sites, it would be worth it. (Wrong again! Archaeological Museum was closed again, and Rumeli Hisari Museum didn't work out either.) Also, here the tickets were available for cash only. Now, we had to count our remaining cash every time.
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| The famous dome |
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| Giant chandelier |
As great as Hagia Sophia was touted to be, or may be because of that, it was disappointing. Too much was it closed for renovation. Scaffolding was everywhere, and a lot of the rest was in a rundown condition, unlike the Blue Mosque. There wasn't much signage/directions so we just followed every open path there was. Built much like a castle, with thick walls and rough surfaces, it felt much less like a museum. View was much better from the second floor balcony. From the tour book, I had seen many "Things to See" so we went looking, and found most of them eventually. Just as we were about to exit, I noticed a room in one corner where they were continuously playing the documentary of Hagia Sophia. From that, we then went looking for things we had missed earlier. In little more than an hour later, we were done. From the documentary, we learned that there were tombs of Sultan's outside as well as behind the building. They were well maintained and practically deserted. Tombs behind the building were in the middle of a few gift shops - not very obvious to find, but couldn't be missed if you were looking for it. Entry was included in our ticket (and therefore free), but had its own security. In one courtyard there were several more tombs.
From there, the next item was the Archaeological Museum, which was practically next door (inside Topkapi Palace.) - it was closed again today. When a guy with machine gun tells you so, you listen. We were bummed.
In most historical places (like Pompei in Italy or Olympia in Greece), it is one thing to visit the ruins themselves, but all the "good stuff" - valuables and relics - are safekept in Archaeological Museums usually adjacent to the main sights. Glazed panels from gate of ancient Babylon, Sarcophagi of Alexander and others, Statuary Galleries and Tiled Pavilion were the things we were hoping to see in the Museum.
Moving on we took Tram T1 to the last stop Kabatas, and then jumped on to 43R bus to Rumali Hisari - last stop. From the park adjacent to the Bus stop, we had a great view of Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Second) Bridge. We could see towers of Rumeli Hisari, but no one could explain to us in English how to get there. We were about 350 feet above the Bosporous. Taking the next road that was going down hill, we kept an eye on the nearest watchtower. But that wasn't the entrance. Going further downhill, through the narrow winding streets and at times down the steps and terraces in people's houses, we reached the bottom. A two lane road had plenty of traffic, including buses that would take us back to Kabatas. We took pictures of the rapidly flowing Bosporous, and Rumeli Hisari, and took the next bus (22) that came along. Traveling along the Bosporous, through small towns, we reached Dolmabache Palace. In later years of Ottoman Empire, Sultan's preferred to stay in palaces further North on Bosporous instead of Topkapi Palace. Dolmabache being one of them.
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| Rumeli Hisari |
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| Dolmabache Palace |
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| Dolmabache Palace |
Dolmabache Palace had its own ticket - not included in the Museum Pass, and cash only. This was our last stop before going to the airport, and we did not have enough cash for the tickets. We imagined that this palace would be similar to Topkapi and were satisfied with taking pictures from the outside.
Kabatas station for T1 was less than 10 minutes walk from the Palace. It was about 1:15 PM. Per our original plan, we would have been on the plane by now. We have 24 extra hours and all items from the list checked off - three countries, three continents, Wildlife Safari in Tanzania and History in Egypt and Istanbul. A successful trip indeed!
Taking Tram T1, we returned to the hotel, picked up our bags and returned to T1 to continue to Bagcilar, where we transferred to Zeytinburnu to take M1 train for IST airport.
We knew the drill now. We walked to the Hotel Desk, next to arrivals. After checking our tickets, we were asked to wait. The operation was very efficient. They would announce names of the passengers, who would then be taken to the shuttle bus outside the terminal and driven to the assigned hotel. You would find out which hotel it is only when you got there. I guess beggars can't be choosers.
After just a few minutes of wait, our names were called. We boarded the transfer shuttle. I fully expected the hotel to be nearby. Instead, our shuttle got on the Expressway E5 back to Istanbul - almost the same way our train brought us to the Airport in the first place - and we were almost back to Dolmabahçe Palace.where we were just a couple of hours earlier. In any case, our hotel was up on the hill, a very nice Hilton, a five star hotel. We weren't going to complain about that!
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| Lobby |
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| Hilton İstanbul Bomonti |
It was about 5 PM. The hotel gave us breakfast, lunch and dinner vouchers, so we went to have lunch. We were told that lunch was over, but dinner would start at 6 PM. No big deal, we could wait. The three course meal was sufficient to keep us going until morning. There was nothing in the immediate vicinity to go visit, but we had a nice view from our 22nd floor room. We rested.
Wed 02/01/17
It was another clear sunny day. I woke up at 5:45 am, and went to gym in the lobby at 6 am but it was not yet open. After it opened, I had a nice swim for an hour after a long time - actually the first and the only time on this trip. The 3 lane 25 meter pool was empty for the most part. The water was either too pure, or too warm (or both) - or else, I forgot how to swim in the past two weeks. It felt that I was barely moving forward with each stroke. But it was refreshing.
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| 3 lane pool |
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| "waterfall" |
The large locker/shower room area was like a maze - dark and easy to get lost. After taking a shower, what do you do with your wet swimming trunk - they even had a 15-second dryer for that. I guess we have such low expectations from our Gyms. However, it should be noted that five star hotels in some - not all - foreign countries pay much higher attention to amenities, ambiance and personal service.
Breakfast buffet was enormous with variety of cuisines represented. We had a leisurely breakfast and waited until it was departure time. At 10 am, we checked out, and took the shuttle back to the airport, even though out flight wasn't until 1:55 PM. Of course, when you are not in a hurry, there are no lines. Boarding pass, Immigration, Security was all done by 11:10 am. As discussed elsewhere, US security started at noon. Annoying, slow, but necessary.
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