ISTANBUL: LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!
You might be wondering, or maybe not even thinking about it, so let me tell you why I haven’t been very active on Steemit for the past 3-4 days... I’m in Istanbul, Turkey. Yes! This trip has been sponsored by my husband’s organization. Or to put it another way, half of the expenses are covered by them, and the other half is ours.
And today, we don’t have much planned… because, lol, we’re a little tight on budget now. So, I thought, why not interact with you guys before we head out for a little walk, just wandering around the streets of Istanbul, which, by the way, is totally love at first sight!
Before catching the flight, we had to travel by road... Travel is never easy, and when it involves a road journey as well, and then having to arrange a place to stay for the first night upon arrival, it becomes even more challenging.
You can see I’m sleep-deprived upon arrival in the waiting lounge for our flight. But at the same time, I’m super excited! We have a total of four days at our disposal, and I’m sharing glimpses from the first day with you. We arrived at the airport, and let me tell you, it’s such a vibe. I absolutely love, love, love Istanbul airport!
The flight was smooth, and we arrived on time... We reached the hotel, which we had pre-booked. After freshening up, we headed out to explore the old bazaar.
This room in RAYELIN HOTEL is super comfortable
Taksim Monument, Istanbul
@soulfuldreamer posing hard Infront of Taksim Monument, Istanbul
The famous Galata Tower
Oh man, the beauty of Istanbul is something else! People were walking around the streets so beautifully dressed up, like it was straight out of a movie set. I was taking in every scent, every aroma, and every person around me, just soaking it all in.
This is just the story of the first day... To fully explore this place, you’d need centuries because Turkey’s history is so ancient that four days are far too little to truly understand this place, especially Istanbul.
Turkish cats and Turkish delights are everywhere in Istanbul, and we don't mind them one bit!
my girls petting a random cat
Turkish delights: A delightful scene
When you journey beyond your homeland, countless truths unveil themselves... The nights in Istanbul are incredibly vibrant; nothing feels unpleasant here. There’s a distinct vibe, and yes, there’s a unique fragrance that lingers everywhere, and I’m completely immersed in its influence...
Am I not under enchantment’s spell, touched by the magic of old city bazar Istanbul? O yes! I definitely am!
An acquaintance was recently in Istanbul, once again, this time with her child, to show the city to her too. I think she is also under enchantment's spell there, maybe this country has this ability really. Last week there were holidays in Bulgaria and I saw that many of my acquaintances went to Turkey, it is a very desirable destination, we are neighbors and have quite a complicated relationship too, lol. Unfortunately, I haven't been there yet, I hope to go one day, at least to one of their many visited places like Cappadocia or Pamukkale...
Regarding the tight budget, I think it is not necessary to spend a lot of money explicitly when you are on a trip, one can just walk around, explore, visit places without entrance, I personally focus on taking pictures, it is also easy to make sandwiches to avoid restaurants if you have to. Perhaps with children it is a little more complicated, but not impossible.
Enjoy every minute of your visit, take it out on the streets, soak up the atmosphere completely, time is not that much. It will fly away in seconds. Have a nice one!😊
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Well, I will say, Turkey is a must-visit if time, money, and circumstances allow... I mean, I absolutely loved it from the moment I stepped into the airport... They have bidets here instead of Muslim showers in the toilets. Fortunately, my husband had been here before, so he informed us right when we entered the airport bathroom... lol.
As for the budget, we skipped all the places with entrance fees... I really wanted to visit Topkapi Palace from the inside, but it’s okay, I’ll just look at pictures online. My favorite character, Hurrem Sultan from the Turkish drama series based on the real-life events of Suleiman, used to live there... Anyway, the point is... We didn't make any compromises on the hotel and stay because of the kids... The entire trip is ruined if the stay is uncomfortable, especially with children. Also, we had a bit of a misunderstanding when booking. We thought we could stay in one big room with extra mattresses, but that wasn’t an option. So yeah it was the main reason for exceeding the budget.
Plus, we visited Bursa island by ferry, which I'll try to tell you about later. But we did have two fancy dinners because tasting Turkish cuisine was also on the bucket list. However, we skipped lunch on all four days...
Long story short: I think you should definitely visit Turkey. And I am almost certain that you would like it ♥️
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Istanbul is near the top of my bucket list. As much as we have traveled, somehow we have never made it there. It just seems like such a place of rich cultural history... and so much to see and do.
And then, of course, there are those world famous cats!
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Man, history and so very rich!
You should definitely plan a visit. I think it has so much to offer in terms of history. It’s such an old place, and you can see remnants of the Roman Empire scattered throughout the city... This place is truly something else!
P.S: The Byzantine Empire, which succeeded the Roman Empire, also had its capital in Constantinople (Istanbul).
So yeah :))
The Galata Tower looks beautiful. I'm missing Turkey now. And you as well.
Did you take any pictures in Turkish costumes which are also everywhere but not like the delights and cats. 🤣
Istanbul does have a vibe which some people detest probably due to excessive tourism but I love it and was mesmerized by the diversity the city offers in terms of culture and tourists.
Have fun and do visit Buyukada.
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You know what: we definitely are soul sisters in this regard...
My husband said he would never visit Istanbul again (if we ever get the chance to visit Turkey again in the future) because of the reasons you mentioned... But I loved it for the same reasons you talked about...
Although I also like peace and quiet sometimes, it’s fine if you're here for an experience, to see the diversity that’s missing in your own country, so yeah, why not...
I don’t have any pictures in Turkish costumes... I didn’t see any place offering such a thing... I skipped the museum by the way, the tickets were expensive.
As for other places in Turkey, we only managed to visit Bursa by ferry... Time and budget constraints, honey... Maybe next time.
I miss you too, honey.
I'm so glad you had such a wonderful trip. Enjoy!
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Gracias sir 🙏🏻
I'm more excited to read your Turkey's travel dairies than anyone else. It's the primary travel destination fascinated by pakistani girls(readers, iykyk).
Finally, i have seen taksim today about which haya used to solve a world class riddle.
And if by any chance you happen to visit burger king on İstiklal Caddesi, say salam to Jehan.
And if you see white house in Büyükada, run for the safety of your purse. Be aware of any Abdulrehman, he eyes beautiful women.
And before you declare me retarded, i should leave now, looking forward to your next post😉
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Oh we visited Istiklal street on our first day of visit. I wish I knew it earlier... Who is Jehan by the way?
Hahahaha. Point noted for if I visit this place again ;))
No clue here...🤔
No, not a chance. I loved your reply. I'm happy that you liked my post. I will now try to write detail about my visit in next posts, so that you can see what I saw... I will try honey
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Hahahaa Haya ki phopho ka beta.
Never mind i was talking about Jannat kay pattay novel characters. It was based in Turkey and characters had visited different cities as well.
We haved visted those places through our imagination and turkey has a special place in our hearts❤
Ok! I had a vague idea that you were talking about these characters in at least two of your suggestions ;)))
But you have brought these characters to life in such a unique way. I have to read this novel now...where can I buy???
In a space of 5 months, you have toured round the globe..😊😊😊
Come to Nigeria, I will be your tour guide 😊😊
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No, i just visited Highlands from my country and now Turkey:))
That's a gracious offer. Travel guides are so expensive here... And what if I get one for free. Lol
Thank you for your words dear!
I was thinking exactly the same thing! 😉
I also took the opportunity to enjoy the stunning views of Istanbul through your clicks. it's wonderful that you're making the most of this trip.
Wishing you a happy and memorable journey!
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Hi there,
Thank you so much for stopping by. I'm glad that you liked the pictures. We are trying to make the most out of this trip, we are walking miles, enjoying and taking in the soul of this very historical city. The mosques here are so magnificent, i am in awe of their grandeur...
Thanks for noticing my absence ☺️
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You're welcome.
I'm happy to hear that you're making the most of your trip and immersing yourself in the history and beauty of the city.
keep enjoying and creating wonderful memories with family 😊
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The queen of sheba went to meet king Solomon and she said "what I heard was a shadow of what I see". Your journey to Turkey, Istanbul is a beautiful one and you are there to catch a glimpse of this place which this photographs will serve as a memory. I never knew you were such a professional photographer and I believe your photograph I mean the one that has your image was taken by your beautiful daughters. An organisation sponsoring such a trip should be a big one, massive and a standard one, so if I may ask what was the purpose of this trip, to explore and go on a vacation because as far as I know it holiday in Nigeria kids are free or are there other things you were there to do? I wish you the best there, don't forget to bring goodies ohhhh!!!!
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Go to bed immediately :DD