Day 1 in Istanbul has been everything I thought it would be and more. I anticipated this holiday and judging from today, I know it’s going to be a fabulous one. We arrived at our hotel last night; My Dora is located in Kadikoy, the Asian side of Turkey. Our room is whimsical and charming and definitely something that I wont forget.
Although it was quite late when we arrived, we still wandered outside our hotel and found a Doner Kebab cafe and indulged in a midnight snack.
This morning we explored the surroundings of our hotel and visited the famous Kadikoy balloon.
Most of Istanbul’s attractions are located on the European side. We had to catch the ferry across The Bosphorus which only costs 2TL (approx R9) and takes about 5 min.
The first half of the morning was spent at the Spice Bazaar. It is too beautiful to explain, from saffron to Viagra tea, the bazaar has it all.
The latter half was spent at the Grand Bazaar. The worlds largest covered market. I shopped till my hearts content and managed to get a great few deals thanks to my excellent haggling skills.
An afternoon is not complete in Turkey without a great cup of coffee and some baklava. So, that is what we had to do before catching the ferry back to Kadikoy.
I am in love with this Istanbul and its culture. The streets are full of amazing people (who don’t speak any English) and the buildings tell stories from many centuries back. I am definitely looking forward to the upcoming days here.
50 Hours in a car 