Turkey Day 1: Istanbul

Istanbul - Part 1

Day 1. 17 December 2018

The preparation starts weeks earlier, its all because the kids were at the hostel. Sabrina will only finishes her SPM on 7 December 2018, Hakim will only be back on the 14 December 2018, that is 2 days before departing.

The flight was scheduled 11.50 pm. Its a buckled-up, sleep tight flight. An approximately 10 hours flight to Istanbul. We will be flying in Turkish Airline. We leave the house at 6pm. Alhamdulillah, our neighbour who has a large van agreed to ferry us to the airport. Just imagine the bags that we brought, there are 6 of us for the 14 days journey. Not a leisure journey but with full of activities ahead. We are scheduled to arrive in Istanbul in the morning. Bear in mind that Istanbul is cold in December. A proper gear is a compulsory.

Delicious food served

The plane is on time. We managed to rearrange the seat so that the whole family sits together. One thing I noticed when going in group is that the in flight seating arrangement were always jumbled up. Not only between the group but with other groups. Perhaps the ticketing agent will have the answer for that. Food during the flight was good. They served pasta and all. The humus was superb. Since its going to be a long journey awaits, I really used the time to get enough rest. That is to sleep 😅



We arrived as scheduled. As it was fajr, we rushed for the solat fajr at the airport. There are plenty of people queuing for the same purpose and we opted just to perform it at the corridor nearby. We were greeted by the ground agent, an English speaking Turkish, Jameel.

Stepping out of the airport, is a new experience to some of us.... yes, it was so cold. And we were not lucky as it was drizzling. It was expected to happen but none of us were prepared for that. The bus was waiting at the bus station. We hurriedly to the bus to avoid getting wet. And we were off to the first destination. The Blue Mosque.

Turkey is known for its beautiful architecture. Nobody can deny it. The Blue Mosque is one of the magnificent build. We were not that fortunate as when we arrived, the Blue Mosque is under restoration. However, there is still plenty to see there and indulged into. No words can exactly describe it. You may enjoy the photos.

The interior

The exterior

The team

TopKapi Palace

A monument was built in the Sultanahmet Square 

From the Blue Mosque we walked to the Topkapi Palace. It is very near. Walking in the cold weather (not freezing) was just very refreshing. We walked through the Sultanahmet Square. It was a where the sports event and race took place during the Byzantine empire. It was previously known as Hippodrome of Constantinople. A monument was built on the ground.

A man selling hot corns and chestnuts

Fresh breads

While walking we saw stalls selling pretty souvenirs, chestnuts and fresh bread. We are just not into it yet. However I could not resist the chestnuts. Eating hot chestnuts in the cold weather was a magnificent moment. And their chestnuts are large too.

The TopKapi Palace was built by the Ottoman Sultans. It consists of several blocks of palace. The ladies quarters, the children quarters and for the workers. Their kitchen alone is tremendous. I am sure the garden is magnificent during spring and summer as I can still absorb the beauty even during winter.

There's an entrance fee to enter the Palace, but I am not sure how much was it as it was all paid by the travel agent. To enter the palace compound, one need to go through the security check. I am sure this is done to ensure no damage is being done to the historical area and buildings.

Entering the Palace

Topkapi Palace ground

A rose surviving the winter

A walkway towards the Topkapi gardens

Beautiful landscape of Topkapi Palace ground

The kitchen chimneys

Topkapi Palace ground

Captured the plaque that informs the purpose of the artefact - a throne for the Sultan to watch sports activities

Tiles with beautiful craftmanship

The rose garden during winter

Walkway on the Topkapi Ground

Looking rustic but its a beauty - historical building on the Topkapi Palace Ground

Our final tour for the day was to be on the cruise along the Bosphorus Straits. It was drizzling during the trip but that does not hinder the mission. We board the empty cruise and begin to enjoy the smooth sail. We went to the top deck despite the coldness. The seagulls were with us, cruising along. We tried to feed them but we did not have a proper food so they did not come. It was a breathtaking moments to be there.

Wassalam