Istanbul ’17 | Day 1: New Sights, Old City
22nd July ’17. Day 1 of 9.
We arrived at our AirBnB at 2am, and slept on stomachs filled with packet soup which we randomly tossed into our luggage when packing. We were staying in Sultanahmet district, a few minutes walk away from the Blue Mosque. At 5.30am, the adhan (call to prayer) sounded – it was utterly serene. I stood at the window watching over the Bosphorus, the harmonies of the adhan ringing through the air, the darkness of the sky softening into a new dawn.
Late morning, after a good sleep, we ventured into the open and explored – joined by persistent waiters making a hurried pitch (‘Best kebab, must try!’), ceramics salesmen and the most talented taxi drivers you’ve ever seen (those narrow turns!) en route to Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya). We didn’t go inside these buildings until a few days later but as we roamed, it transported us back to another era.
Shortly after, we turned back and headed towards the Sultan Ahmet Camii (Blue Mosque). Upon entering, you are engulfed by sheer awe – the grandeur and magnitude of this place! The architecture, the beams, the arches, and oh those intricate details – it makes your spirit soar as you stand beneath staring, like a stargazer on a particularly fruitful night.
At this point, I was taking photos on my phone since I didn’t have a memory card for my camera. Apologies that the images aren’t the best!
[justified_image_grid row_height=275 caption=off title_field=title overlay_color=#000 disable_cropping=yes thumbs_spacing=5 overlay_icon=off specialfx=others specialfx_type=glow link_title_field=off img_alt_field=off prettyphoto_social=no exclude=664 overlay=hovered overlay_color=#615167 overlay_icon=on overlay_opacity=0.75 prettyphoto_social=no prettyphoto_theme=dark_square prettyphoto_analytics=no lightbox=prettyphoto mobile_lightbox=photoswipe]It is here we would spend much of our time in Istanbul – either to pray, or to sit on the steps of the serene courtyard away from the afternoon bustle. And the delight of countless late night strolls with it standing proudly in the distance..
