#Turkey2017: Istanbul

After what felt like a month, we're finally heading to Istanbul!

QUICK FACTS:

• Historically known as Constantinople, Istanbul is the most populous city in Turkey and the country's economic, cultural, and historic center. 
• Name was derived from the Medieval Greek phrase "εἰς τὴν Πόλιν" (pronounced [is tim ˈbolin]), which means "to the city" and is how Constantinople was referred to by the local Greeks.
• A transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling the Bosphorus strait (which separates Europe and Asia) between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Wikipedia

Since we'll be staying in Old Sultanahmet/ Fatih for our last 3 days, we knew we won't be using the trams, trains, etc. that much since everything was within walking distance. 

SAW Airport to Taksim: We took the Havabus which was just outside the airport exit. You can pay by cash (15TL/person) once you're onboard.

Taksim to Senatus Hotel - Special Class: There was an elaborate post about this from most of the blogs I read but since we were unable to buy an Istanbulkart after going to the bus stop to Sultanahmet, we just opted to go by Uber. UberXL has a discount for first-time users, just type in the promocode GMAP for 15TL off the standard fare. Ended up paying only 13TL (12.83 TL)  for a ride in a Mercedes-Benz Vito through crazy traffic.

You can also use rayshelc2ue to get discounts on your Uber ride!

Leather seats! CLAZZYYY

our cozy room in Senatus Hotel

I didn't want to waste our first day in the city just lounging in the hotel so I booked tickets to a whirling dervish ceremony in Hodjapasha Cultural Center. It's a mystical side of Islam that I really wanted to see and understand so I reserved our seats in advance and surprised the fiancee. Some might say that it's really boring but it's a religious ceremony, not a variety show.

After the ceremony, we ate simits again for dinner and walked in the square for a few minutes admiring the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Seriously, I just can't get over my love for simits! Specially for simit with Nutella - omnomnommmm!

The square was really beautiful at night and with the weather, it's the perfect time to just lounge at the square and have a little tête-à-tête about everything and nothing.

For the following day, we prepared for another DIY walking tour: we started off at Topkapi Palace, where we bought our museum pass (see below) for 85TL per person. It's really a cost-efficient move since it will let you bypass lines and gives you free access to the following for 5 days:

• Hagia Sophia Museum
• Hagia Irene
• Topkapı Palace Museum and *Harem Apartments, 
• İstanbul Archaeological Museums, 
• İstanbul Mosaic Museum, 
• Museum of Turkish and İslamic Arts, 
• Museum for the History of Science and Technology in Islam, 
• Chora Museum, 
• Galata Mevlevi House Museum, 
• Yıldız Palace, 
• Rumeli Hisar Museum, 
• Fethiye Museum

We might be using it for a day only, but it makes perfect sense to just buy the pass because:

1) We can skip lines,

2) Separate access is worth more than the pass! For ex. Topkapi Palace + Harem access is 50 TL, Hagia Sophia for 40 TL, Hagia Irene 20TL and Istanbul Archaeological Museum 20TL, over-all is already 130TL and that's just only 4 out of the 12 sights. You can only use the pass once to enter but since you get discounts for some establishments as well on top of the above advantages, getting one is definitely a steal! It's definitely worth your liras if you wanna save time as well as money.

Here's the breakfast spread on our first official day, YAMEEEEH (#spotthesimit)

First on the itinerary was the Topkapi Palace (+Harem Apartments) which was so huge that it took like half of our day just to see everything!

But my favorite out of all was the Istanbul Archaeological Museum where for 20TL (if you don't have the museum pass), you can see priceless historical artifacts from ancient civilizations! My inner archaeologist was revived from her early demise (from our visits in Ephesus and Heriapolis in Pamukkale) just to die again here, in this haven of artifacts, antiquities and sarcophagi.

We were pretty much wiped out around 5, with the history and cultural overload, we stopped by Gülhane Park to rest before going to the Bosphorus bridge.

And there we saw a 1 hour Bosphorus Cruise Tour for only 12TL! Siyempre go agad kami! Barya! 12TL! Mayaman kami! Chos :P

Onboard, we waited for at least 45 minutes for the boat to fill-up pero ok na rin! Sulit and 

What a way to end a tiring but fun day :) cruising through the Bosphorus with the man you're about to spend the rest of your life with ❤ ang keeeesooo! Cheret! Pero honglomeeeg! You really have to bundle up because the wind will definitely get you shookt.