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Day 12, Monday 14 October
Congestion…….. The fully developed cold which has included a chesty cough has allowed more sleep than I imagined. Obviously a very late arrival last night has a lot to do with that but the result is that today will be compromised. We don’t leave the room till after midday losing the whole morning. A couple of jobs take priority; planning an exit strategy and obtaining more local currency. However, we head first up to Beyazit tram station.
Crossed Lines…….. Katoon knows where she wants to go first but her route planning using public transport is not the best and she usually leave that to me. There are a couple of options and we wander around Beyazit Square until I firm up on a route. I believe I can get close to Taxim Square using the tram and head for Kabataş. I have to keep my concentration with the din all around me and realise before we reach Kabataş tram stop, we need to change trams on the line. When we finally reach Kabataş, it looks like a walk of over 1 km and all uphill since Kabataş is located on the shore of the Bosphorus. Katoon initially follows the walking route via GPS but according to my printed map there is another option. I realise that this is an interchange station and Kartoon is confused as here there is the F1 funicular railway rising up to Taxim Square. Not only is this line a wonderful piece of engineering but it saves an almost impossible walk for me to the summit. We’re soon at one of Katoon’s dream destinations.
Taxim Square…….. Here at Taxim Square is a memorial to Turkish independence. It also has a vintage tram which runs here from here to Tünel not far away. This tram features on many tourist guides and is the main reason Katoon has selected this destination.
With two days left in Istanbul, there are important objectives but Taxim Square was not on my list. It is now! At least I can change some money here. As we head down Istiklal Cd., this is clearly the main shopping centre, Istanbul’s equivalent to the West End in London. Here we try a KFC over local food restaurants and Katoon seems happier. After all she’s a city girl at heart but I’m getting rather bored with just wandering around without a plan. However, I soon realised that Istiklal Cd. does actually lead somewhere I’m familiar with which makes me feel better.
Along Istiklal Cd. there are a number of tourist sites and Katoon is fascinated by some typically European architecture. So okay if we continue to wander along this route, I might as well take some notes. Along this route is Historical Galatasaray Bath, St Antoine Church and a number of embassies including the British Consulate General. From the terminal vintage tram stop, Tünell, there is a very steep descent down to the Bosphorus; a series of steep cobbled streets and steps. Guarding the hillside is the Galata Tower.
Congestion…….. The fully developed cold which has included a chesty cough has allowed more sleep than I imagined. Obviously a very late arrival last night has a lot to do with that but the result is that today will be compromised. We don’t leave the room till after midday losing the whole morning. A couple of jobs take priority; planning an exit strategy and obtaining more local currency. However, we head first up to Beyazit tram station.
Crossed Lines…….. Katoon knows where she wants to go first but her route planning using public transport is not the best and she usually leave that to me. There are a couple of options and we wander around Beyazit Square until I firm up on a route. I believe I can get close to Taxim Square using the tram and head for Kabataş. I have to keep my concentration with the din all around me and realise before we reach Kabataş tram stop, we need to change trams on the line. When we finally reach Kabataş, it looks like a walk of over 1 km and all uphill since Kabataş is located on the shore of the Bosphorus. Katoon initially follows the walking route via GPS but according to my printed map there is another option. I realise that this is an interchange station and Kartoon is confused as here there is the F1 funicular railway rising up to Taxim Square. Not only is this line a wonderful piece of engineering but it saves an almost impossible walk for me to the summit. We’re soon at one of Katoon’s dream destinations.
Taxim Square…….. Here at Taxim Square is a memorial to Turkish independence. It also has a vintage tram which runs here from here to Tünel not far away. This tram features on many tourist guides and is the main reason Katoon has selected this destination.
With two days left in Istanbul, there are important objectives but Taxim Square was not on my list. It is now! At least I can change some money here. As we head down Istiklal Cd., this is clearly the main shopping centre, Istanbul’s equivalent to the West End in London. Here we try a KFC over local food restaurants and Katoon seems happier. After all she’s a city girl at heart but I’m getting rather bored with just wandering around without a plan. However, I soon realised that Istiklal Cd. does actually lead somewhere I’m familiar with which makes me feel better.
Along Istiklal Cd. there are a number of tourist sites and Katoon is fascinated by some typically European architecture. So okay if we continue to wander along this route, I might as well take some notes. Along this route is Historical Galatasaray Bath, St Antoine Church and a number of embassies including the British Consulate General. From the terminal vintage tram stop, Tünell, there is a very steep descent down to the Bosphorus; a series of steep cobbled streets and steps. Guarding the hillside is the Galata Tower.
Taxim Square (top row), St Antoine Church, Galata Tower and Galata Bridge (bottom row)
Galata Tower……..
The Galata Tower is a medieval stone tower in the Galata/Karaköy quarter, just to the north of the Golden Horn's junction with the Bosphorus. It is a high, cone-capped cylinder that dominates the skyline and offers a panoramic vista of Istanbul's historic peninsula and its environs.
Galata Bridge…….. As we head down the hill, I have a new aiming point. Galata bridge itself a tourist attraction. It crosses the Golden Horn waterway that feeds into the Bosphorus. This bridge is familiar to us by now as it was here at the southern end, we tried the popular fish baguette last Saturday. Crossing the bridge this time on the upper deck roadway, we get a magical view of the Golden Horn as the busy water taxis, ferries and tour boats eagerly look for customers.
Bosphorus Tour…….. It’s now 5:45 pm and the Sun is low on the horizon producing magical colours along the buildings of the shoreline. Is this the right time to take a tour and cross off one of the major items on my list? Well yes! A tour boat is just about to leave. It will take 1 1/2 hours and we will witness the sunset and the night lights after dark. As we head off, it’s rather chilly with a stiff breeze blowing. I’m not prepared, alternating between the upper and lower decks but the trip is a must do for anybody staying in Istanbul and clearly the highlight of our stay here up to now. In terms of sightseeing, there are a number of interesting things to see from the boat. Rumelihisarı (a hilltop 15th-century fortress with multiple towers, walking paths & water views), Ortaköy Mosque, the two bridges of 15 July Martyrs and Fatih Sultan Mehmet lit up in the fading light and the Beylerbeyi Palace to name but a few.
Galata Bridge…….. As we head down the hill, I have a new aiming point. Galata bridge itself a tourist attraction. It crosses the Golden Horn waterway that feeds into the Bosphorus. This bridge is familiar to us by now as it was here at the southern end, we tried the popular fish baguette last Saturday. Crossing the bridge this time on the upper deck roadway, we get a magical view of the Golden Horn as the busy water taxis, ferries and tour boats eagerly look for customers.
Bosphorus Tour…….. It’s now 5:45 pm and the Sun is low on the horizon producing magical colours along the buildings of the shoreline. Is this the right time to take a tour and cross off one of the major items on my list? Well yes! A tour boat is just about to leave. It will take 1 1/2 hours and we will witness the sunset and the night lights after dark. As we head off, it’s rather chilly with a stiff breeze blowing. I’m not prepared, alternating between the upper and lower decks but the trip is a must do for anybody staying in Istanbul and clearly the highlight of our stay here up to now. In terms of sightseeing, there are a number of interesting things to see from the boat. Rumelihisarı (a hilltop 15th-century fortress with multiple towers, walking paths & water views), Ortaköy Mosque, the two bridges of 15 July Martyrs and Fatih Sultan Mehmet lit up in the fading light and the Beylerbeyi Palace to name but a few.
Bosphorus Tour
Tensions……..
As I head back, I notice the exchange rate for Turkish lira has improved by about 8%. When I switch on the news the story is all about the Turkish invasion of northern Syria. Overnight the Kurds signed an agreement with Syria and the Syrian Army is heading north towards the Turkish border. Is this going to be another one of those turning points in Turkish history?
Achievements…….. Accepting that Istanbul was never pencilled in for intensive study, we have given it a fair crack of the whip today. I accepted from the very start that despite the number of days I will have stayed in the city, I was never going to turn my blog into a tour guide. To do that, even in the small area, we covered today, I would need to have covered dozens and dozens of historic, cultural and religious sites. It wasn't going to happen and I cannot dwell too much on opportunities missed. Another time perhaps.
It remains now to take a tram back to the Beyazit Square and down to La Casa Suite. For dinner I decide to repeat the indulgence from last night but that backfires probably due to a communication issue and Katoon cannot eat what they serve up. As I turn in, I hope it’s not another restless night as the cough/cold is not yet over. Tomorrow is an important day as we both independently need to plan to leave Turkey. Next Page.
Achievements…….. Accepting that Istanbul was never pencilled in for intensive study, we have given it a fair crack of the whip today. I accepted from the very start that despite the number of days I will have stayed in the city, I was never going to turn my blog into a tour guide. To do that, even in the small area, we covered today, I would need to have covered dozens and dozens of historic, cultural and religious sites. It wasn't going to happen and I cannot dwell too much on opportunities missed. Another time perhaps.
It remains now to take a tram back to the Beyazit Square and down to La Casa Suite. For dinner I decide to repeat the indulgence from last night but that backfires probably due to a communication issue and Katoon cannot eat what they serve up. As I turn in, I hope it’s not another restless night as the cough/cold is not yet over. Tomorrow is an important day as we both independently need to plan to leave Turkey. Next Page.