The Five Stans, Istanbul and Albania
Day 34
Tuesday 14th October
Almaty to Istanbul
5-19 degrees, sunny
A fairly easy six-hour flight with Turkish Airlines and we touched down safely in Istanbul. The airport here is enormous — we must have walked a marathon just to reach customs and collect our bags! Thankfully, we’d pre-booked a pickup, though even finding the car felt like a bit of an adventure. Once we finally piled in, it was a solid 45–50 minute drive into the city. Our apartment, Mar Boutique Apartment, was right in the heart of Istanbul, in the Fatih district — a perfect central spot. We were here just two years ago but stayed much further out, so this time it feels like we were truly in the thick of it.
Our one-bedroom unit at the Mar Boutique Apartments was just what we needed — complete with that most essential travel necessity – a washing machine! We’d been given the ground-floor apartment, but the manager kindly offered to move us upstairs for one night to an apartment with a stunning view over the Bosphorus. Tempting, right? We even started to unpack before realising the early 7:45 a.m. tour the next morning would make it a mad scramble — packing up again, washing and all. A missed opportunity perhaps, but practicality reigned.
Once we’d unpacked, it was straight to the A101 supermarket. Thank goodness for the Google Translate app — we nearly came home with sour cream instead of yoghurt! And speaking of essentials, we tracked down the one and only liquor shop in the district. The vendor was multitasking in true Turkish fashion — cooking his lamb mince dinner on a little electric frypan behind the counter while we chose our beer and wine. To top it off, he was smoking as he stirred! A warm (and slightly smoky) welcome to the sights and smells of Istanbul.
After dropping off our supplies, we set out in the other direction, following the hotel manager’s restaurant recommendation. It turned out to be a kebab place — as were most of the restaurants we passed along the way! We’ve had our fair share of kebabs lately, but it looked like lamb was back on the menu tonight. No complaints though — the lamb and salads were delicious. No alcohol served here (or anywhere nearby, it seems), so we wandered back to our apartment for a quiet little tipple before bed.
Day 35
Wednesday 15th October
Istanbul
13-19 degrees, cloudy
Today we had booked on a city bus tour, taking in sights we hadn’t seen last visit. After pickup, we drove through the new and old European areas of Istanbul, to Camlica Hill on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. At 288 metres above sea level, Camlica Hill offered panoramic views of the southern part of the Bosphorus and the mouth of the Golden Horn.
Close by, the Camlica Mosque, a new symbol of Istanbul, is the largest mosque in the republic, opening only in 2019. Able to hold 63,000 people, the mosque has a 72-meter dome and 6 minarets. It seems like there was a political undertone for building this mosque – but for whatever reason it was built, it really is quite stunning.
Still on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, the Beylerbeyi Palace was a 19th-century Ottoman palace. Commissioned by Sultan Abdulaziz and completed between 1861 and 1865, the palace served as a summer residence and a place to host foreign dignitaries. It is small compared to Topkapi Palace, but has some beautiful rooms and gorgeous furnishings and carpets inside – the baccarat crystal chandeliers were something else.
Time for a recharge – lunch was included on this tour. It was a set menu with lentil soup, grilled mix kebab and salad, followed by baclava and another Turkish sweet. I tried the yoghurt drink which was quite nice. Had thirty minutes to wander around this precinct after lunch.
Back on the European side of Istanbul, Pierre Loti Hill was waiting for us with stunning views of the Golden Horn inlet and historical peninsula. We then experienced the cable car down to the bottom of the hill.
Last on the programme for the day was a two hour cruise on the Bosphorus Strait. Here we enjoyed a commentary of what was on either side while we cruised between the two continents.
Back on land at 7pm, we didn’t feel like much to eat after such a big lunch, so we wandered through the spice markets, and another bazaar, continuing on until we reached our apartment.
Day 36
Thursday 16th October
Istanbul
13-19 degrees, overcast
Today’s first visit was to the Blue Mosque, which was a 25 minute walk from where we were staying. Two years ago when we were in Istanbul, the Blue Mosque was being renovated- the inside has been completed, however the outside is still a work in progress. So we were there along with twenty thousand other tourists, or so it seemed. The Blue Mosque, officially the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque, constructed between 1609 and 1617 during the rule of Ahmed I. It is known for its six minarets, many domes, and its blue interior. The mosque is also known as the Blue Mosque because of the abundance of blue Iznik tiles on its walls. The mosque’s walls are adorned with 21,043 stunning tiles.It really is beautiful inside.
A few minutes away was the famed, mosaic-filled Hagia Sophia mosque – just a photo stop this time. Adjacent Sultanahmet Square has the Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius and the 4th-century Stone of Million pillar ruin – another photo stop, as we had seen all these last visit.
Time for a coffee – we treated ourselves to some decadent sweets – a huge piece of chocolate and cream layered cake for Frank, raspberry cheesecake for me. I note we have reverted to European prices – $9 for coffee in the tourist hot spots!
Somewhat pepped up, it was time to hit the Grand Bazaar! The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m². I was ready to shop – not sure Frank was! We gave it a red hot go – I managed to buy a silver chain, pearl ring, silk scarf, and more. Such a colourful chaotic atmosphere, people buzzing about, shoppers and vendors alike!
Next on the agenda was a couples session at the Hizerbey Hamami, an authentic Ottoman bathhouse, 4 minutes away from where we were staying. I had booked us in for the The Art of Marble package. This involved a sauna, steam room, a total body scrub, and lavish foam massage, ensuring a profound purification – so the blurb stated. It was very relaxing, though I will say quite short- 60 minutes, and costing €75 each. So I would say a little on the expensive side.
This evening we had a Bosphorus dinner cruise booked. Frank had gone to a lot of trouble to book the evening as our belated wedding anniversary celebration. Unfortunately the night didn’t pan out as well as we were anticipating – there were complications with the pick up; you had to pay for a pre dinner drink at €10 each (for beer and house wine) even though we had paid for the drinks package (it only went from 9-11pm, and we had arrived at 8pm); the entertainment was great but only the tables around the dance floor could see anything, and then others stood up in front of you to take photos); almost everyone was smoking, so if you went outside to look at the lights you had to fight your way through the smoke, plus the doors kept being left open so inside smelt like an ashtray as well; the food was average; and then we did a grand tour of Istanbul to get home – we could have walked back in 15 minutes had we known what route the driver was taking! Sometimes the best laid plans go astray. It will be a memorable evening!
Day 37
Friday 17th October
Istanbul
15-21 degrees, sunny
Today was a free day to explore, so we wandered through the backstreets of Istanbul and across the river to the Galata Tower district. Our guide from the other day had advised us earlier that we didn’t really need to go up the tower — the views we’d already enjoyed were far better, she said — and she was absolutely right! It’s a lovely area to visit regardless, and skipping the tower saved us €35 each, and at least an hour of queuing.
Galata Tower, originally built as a watchtower at the highest point pf the mostly destroyed walls of Galata, the tower is now an iconic symbol and museum. It was first built by Byzantines and rebuilt by Genoese. I remember visiting here in 1982 when there was a restaurant at the top.
Lovely precinct around the area…. boutiques, artist galleries, souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes. Another decadent morning tea.. this time Frank had a scrumptious chocolate eclair, and I tried the famed San Sebastion cheesecake that the area is noted for. Well that was to die for … baked cheesecake with melted chocolate sauce poured over the top. Divine!
One incident I must mention…we were walking up the hill to Galata Tower, a couple of Turkish shoe shiners were on the footpath. One dropped his shoe brush, so Frank kindly picked it up for him. Next minute, the shoe shiner was polishing Frank’s shoes, and the other one started doing mine (mind you I had my sketchers on). We proceeded to move off, and of course they had their hands out for a tip. Next minute, one is helping himself to Frank’s wallet – in the end they walked away with the equivalent of $22 for 2 minutes “shoeshine”. Obviously experts at swindling the tourists! And all Frank did was pick up the brush!
We think we are fairly seasoned travellers but just shows how tourists can get ripped off so easily!
And there’s more… as we were walking down from Galata Tower, another shoe shiner “accidentally” dropped his brush right in front of us — but we weren’t falling for it this time! Clearly, it’s a well-practised trick of the trade around here.
Ten minutes walk away was the Pera Palace Hotel. This famous hotel began its journey in 1895, for the purpose of hosting the passengers of the Orient Express. It was the first modern hotel in Istanbul to have electricity during the late Ottoman period, and also the first hotel to establish an electric lift. With the deluxe assistance of a lift boy, famous guests like Zsa Zsa Gabor and Ernest Hemingway could appreciate the fun of traveling in the ascending cage up to their room. Crime story novelist Agatha Christie had a favorite place in the hotel – number 411 – which now carries her name. We had considered having high tea in this charming luxurious hotel, but after our recent morning tea, we thought a drink would suffice… so beer for Frank, and a gin and tonic for me! (Champagne only came by the bottle… at a price!)
We enjoyed a lovely walk back across the Bosphorus, this time taking a different bridge. It was lined shoulder to shoulder with fishermen, each patiently waiting for a bite and hoping to catch their dinner. A few had some success, but most seemed content just to cast their lines and chat as the city glowed around them.
Back to the Grand Bazaar for another round of browsing — but even for a seasoned shopper like me, a couple of hours is about the limit here. The place is a full-on assault on the senses: the swirl of colours and aromas, the haze of cigarette smoke, the endless chatter and bargaining. It’s lively and fascinating, but also exhausting!
We had skipped lunch, so had early dinner, before going to the Whirling Dervishes show we had prebooked. Well that was different. The practice of whirling, or turning, as a form of physically active mediation originated among certain Sufi groups, and is still practiced by the Sufi Dervishes of the Mevlevi order.
It is also a worship ceremony that aims to reach Karma, the source of all perfection. I don’t know what we were expecting – probably more a show – but you could definitely leave this off your list of attractions to see. That hour was an hour too long.
A thirty-minute walk back to our apartment capped off the day — over 20,000 steps on the clock! We wandered past yet more shops and buzzing bazaars; it’s hard to believe how many retail outlets this city has. Back at the apartment, we took a few quiet moments on the rooftop patio to soak in the evening view before tackling the inevitable task — packing our bags for an early start tomorrow.
Day 38
Saturday 18th October
Istanbul to Tirana, Albania
14-20 degrees
Well our time in Istanbul had come to an end, and the start of another adventure begins. A 10am flight to Tirana in Albania. It is almost an hour’s drive to Istanbul airport, so an early start was involved.
We got to the airport in record time, as there was no traffic, and had to wait to check in. That done, we went in search of a bite to eat – two coffees, a bread roll for Frank and a frittata slice for me – all that for a mere $57! They were asking €3 for one banana! Food was quite expensive in Turkiye, but that’s another level.
Glammy Goes Global 