Day 7 :
Good morning! We are heading to this park which is just opposite our apartment to meet Salim for some local breakfast!
Inside the park, there is this little cozy cafe, Kadirga Cafe and this is where we will be having our breakfast!
Operating Hours : 24hrs ( Mon - Sun )
Tea and coffee first! On ya that yellow drink is actually banana tea! And it taste like those artificial banana milk from Korea!
Breakfast time! Ordered some food from the restaurant and Salim bought some from the local market for us to try.
We ended up with a super heavy breakfast! Haha!
This is made from Salim’s bakery and it’s yummy ( even better with Nutella! )!
Picture with the friendliest air bnb host!
Salim’s bakery was near by so we actually get a chance to drop by to have a look.
The best match!
Started to work part time?
We part our way after visiting Salim’s bakery and walk to the Ayasofya mosque. The neighborhood here look very different the Istanbul we had visited so far!
Cafe found in between the apartment.
I wonder is this building safe to live in? But traditional housing in Turkey should look like this.
Here we are at the Ayasofya mosque, also known as Little Hagia Sophia!
Covering our hair for women is a form of respect to the mosque! So remember to bring a shawl if you have the intention to visit any mosque.
Actually there is a praying going on now so no ladies is allow to go inside the mosque until the prayer is over so we sit outside to wait for the prayer to end and also welfie since we got nothing to do.
How’s my new look? Yokie and Natalie says that I could easier blend in as local (?)!
Prayer ends and now we could go in to have a look at the mosque. Before entering, it’s good to read their rules and regulation since it’s not our own religion, it’s disrespect to break any of the rules.
There is a visitor entrance for visitor like us.
So as written, take off your shoe and put on the scarf on your head before entering.
I think this should be worn but not sure is it only when prayer is going on or what but we didn’t wear.
The interior is very beautiful! We can only take picture from far as visitor are not allow to go near.
After visiting the Ayasofya mosque, we again walk over to the next mosque but also the most famous mosque.
Yes! This is the famous Blue Mosque, also know as the Sultan Ahmet Camii! It’s name Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles on it’s roof top.
Same as the other mosque, there is a entrance for visitor.
From the visitor entrance, the staff will provide the blue robe ( skirt ) for us. Basically there is two types of robe, full robe and half that covers only the legs. These robes are suppose to cover up those people who dress inappropriately when visiting the mosque. ( eg. full robe for those who wear sleeveless / short sleeve for females and half robe for those who wear shorts / pants that is above knees length for both male and female. )
Plastic bags are provided to put your shoes in. Hold on to your shoe if not I’m sure you will not be able to find it back after you are done visiting inside.
Inside is just beautiful!
Oh ya remember to cover your head too! The entrance provide head scarf too if you need.
Obviously there is no place you could take picture without stranger behind you so just let it be, no need to wait for people to walk away because it will take forever!
The proper (?) outfit to enter the Blue Mosque! Actually I’m wear long pants but since the staff pass the skirt to me then I thought I shall wear as I felt more respect to their religion in this way too. My blue top matches the skirt ya? Haha!
Heading to the Arasta Bazaar which is just next to the Blue Mosque. Just follow the arrow.
Address : Sultan Ahmet Mahallesi, Sultanahmet Mh., Kabasakal Cad Arasta Çarşısı, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
So basically this bazaar is shops that sells from spices to souvenir to carpet!
Boss here are friendly and he sells nice 925 silver jewelry!
Yokie got herself a necklace...
And I got myself many tea! Haha!
Continue to walk around and pass by these colourful house that gives another totally different feel of Istanbul too!
And here we are at another bazaar!
Candid by Yokie! Lol!
This bazaar is more like the bazaar we went at Taksim square.
Beautiful soap! Or is it candle? Haha!
Handcrafted product done on the spot!
Continue walking and happen to pass by a beautiful park with locals siting around to chill their day off.
Again we pass by a ally that gives another different feel of Istanbul!
Reached the Ayasofya museum but we didn’t went in because the entrance fee is quite high! Haha!
Operating Hours : 9am - 5pm ( Tue - Sun )
Me and Yokie decided to go to the Basilica Cistern which is just opposite while the couple go walk around.
Operating Hours : 9am - 5.30pm ( Mon - Sun )
Once you walk in, you will be greeted by the photo booth, not interested? Just walk away!
The place just look like some poster! Everywhere seems to be so mystery! The place is dark but surprisingly cooling even though it’s hot outside! No air conditional inside, it’s just naturally cooling.
The reflection on the floor will be even more beautiful if it’s more wet! Their official poster is taken with a very wet floor.
The iconic of this place is this Medusa head!
After the Basilica Ciatern, we head off to the next iconic place if Istanbul, the Galata Tower!
Operating Hours : 9am - 9pm ( Mon - Sun )
The whether is so hot that we need some ice cream to cool ourselves! Yummy!
Wanted to go up the Galata Tower to have a look.
But we realise it’s 25TL to go up so we u-turn back. Doesn’t seems to worth that much money to just go up to just look at the view.
The operation hours for those who are interested.
Met so many doggy there!
Back to where we stay on the first and second day of our trip! More shopping are located here.
We actually didn’t come here for shopping but instead, we came here for the traditional Turkish bath! The bath place is not on the Main Street so we have to walk inside the alleys again. Fellow the sign board.
Once you turn in, walk all the way in and you will see another Turkish bath place, we didn’t choose here but instead we turn left.
We are coming to this Aga Hamami bath place.
Operating Hours : 10am - 10pm ( Mon - Sun )
The lobby!
Choose your package and each of the guest will have a room to put your belongings and lock inside! No camera inside the bath place! So basically, you will go into a room ( both men and women together ) with a shawl provided. At there, you start bathing yourselves with the water there. Next they will ask you go to a small room that is separate to men and women, and where there is a half naked women ( for women ) to scrub you and bath you like how your grandmother or mum use to bath you when you are a kid! Haha!
Trust me you will feel super clean after that and your skin will feel so smooth!
Dinner just near by the bath place, I didn’t manage take a picture of the restaurant name but i manage to find it through google map! This place is call Cihangir Lokantsi. Maybe we are just too hungry after the bath! Haha! Anyway dinner at a very local restaurant which look like our mix rice stall in kopitiam ( coffee shop ).
Operating Hours : 6.30am - 10.30pm ( Mon - Sun )
Because they are closing already so the boss gave us some free dishes too! Surprisingly the food is not bad! Like local home cook food. Sometimes, not going to big and expensive restaurant means the food is good, sometime small restaurant in small alleys has the best food!
Met up with Salim again and he brought us to their club! I’m not a party person but the rest is so I have to follow.
There is many pub around here.
And some shops that open till this hour!
We stop at Paprika to have a drink first because it’s quieter for us to chit chat.
Operating Hours : 8am - 2am ( Mon - Sun )
So.... this is their club! Haha! This Myth looks like any other cafe though and it’s even smaller then Paprika! But interesting!
Address : Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Mahallesi, Bülbül Yuvası Sk. 4/E, 34445 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey
Operating Hours : 9am - 1am ( Mon -Wed )
9am - 4am ( Thurs - Sat )
10am - 1am ( Sun )
So people just stand around and outside the club to dance! Here, there is no entrance fee and you can hop around different club without paying a lot!
Final picture and here ends our last night in Turkey!
Going home!
You will not know how happy we are when we saw Popeyes! Haha! We are so craving for fried food! Too much kebab already! Sometime fast food chain can save you when you are in overseas because for sure you know they are good!
Ok bye Turkey! I have always wanted to come and you didn’t disappoint me as you have been really good! Till next time!
Hee hee, I bought 2kg or cherry back and I’m enjoying it on the plane!
In flight dinner!
Once breakfast is serve, you know you are reaching home ground!
Anyway, stay tune for my next upcoming trip! See ya!
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