A good night’s sleep. The constant sea breeze is both a fresh air tonic and natural body coolant. I take a jog along the deserted promenade and return to a refreshing homemade frappe. In this heat, I down it in one.  

Our parking spot is prime waterfront location. Based right at the side of the city wall with the blue mosque towering high above us. We spend the morning at Sultanahmet which is best described as the ‘Royal Quarter of Istanbul’. Set inside the city wall, it is like a large elevated plaza containing all the grand buildings built by Sultan Ahmet, which are centred around the ancient foundations of Istanbul. 

The attractive parks, gardens, monuments, side cafes and fountains are combined in a traffic free zone which made for a perfect wander. Haghia Sophia, “the Church of the Divine Wisdom” started life around 500 AD by the prestigious  architects, Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus. A bit of a mouth full but these pioneers gave the world, among other things, the ultimate expression in Byzantine architecture.  Just behind, the elaborate Topkapi Palace who’s grand entrance faces the monumental Blue Mosque.  Tucked away down a side street is the entrance to the sunken palace. An extensive underground water world built by Emperor Constantine that lies beneath the core of Sultanahmet. The Hippodrome topped with an Egyptian Obelisk. Numerous museums, baths and tea houses. All this which is centred around the beautiful mosaic mausoleum of the Sultan Ahmed, his wife and family.  

Tomb of Sultan Ahmed

The open expanse of the areas outside the buildings including the well maintained gardens and colourful fountains protect the area from a feeling of commotion. A great and soothing sense of space and tranquillity envelops Sultanahment. In a city bulging at the seams it is both gratifying and surprising that these gardens survive at all, even though it’s clearly a struggle to maintain them in the sweltering heat of August.

By lunchtime, our feet need a break from the cobbles and our tums needs food. As we step outside the safety of the city walls we notice the traffic is starting to build up.  This is the beginning of the slow crawl of chaos and bedlam round the street of istanbul.  From now until sunset the horns will honk, fists will fly, bumpers will nudge and nerves will be tested. It is not a place for timid souls.  

I take a walk with Mac n Tosh along the sea front. The dudes are high on fresh smells and a cool ocean breeze.  I am as equally fascinated by the variety and diversity of activity in such a small space.  However, Mac n Tosh provide the locals with an equal sense of fascination and excitement. Clearly dogs are not the norm around these parts, and twins dudes are clearly a new experience. Today, I recon they must be the most photographed dogs in Istanbul.

There is so much to take in. The profusion of stuff. Muscles from the Marmara bagged up alongside the rocks.  Piles of corn on the cob scraps which are sold as prime fishing bate.  Onions, popcorn, sesame breadsticks, a wheelbarrow of water melon heaved over the grassland by a tiny old man. Two young boys wheeling humongous sacks and collecting plastic bottles, which they will later sell. Beside a beat up old transit, a group of men are squatting down.

A dice is rolled and cheers overwhelm the sighs.  A group of men in blue polo shirts clear the rocks from litter, bagging it and placing it alongside the road. A local opportunist makes a simple wooden frame, ties a dozen colourful balloons and offers it as a makeshift shooting range.  Under the shade of a tree, a man sits cross legged besides a small open fire. He places four large onions in to the ambers before continuing to stir his rice in a pan.  By the time I reach the lighthouse my head is in a spin. I turn around and relive the whole experience again.  Its ace and right now, my favourite city in the world. 

Later, we take a spin on Eor and acquaint ourselves with the orientation and key highlights of Istanbul. We hug the coastline around to the Golden Horn, a natural harbour and travel the 7km road through the old city to the cable cars. Its crazy madness with swarms of people but its truly wonderful. We zip all over the show, in and out of alleys, up and down hills and follow the 6.5km Theodosius II’s well preserved Byzantine city walls and 96 towers. 

To top it off we scoot over Galata bridge to the second (modern) part of the European part of the city. We have no intension to explore but just to look back. The view from Galata Tower out towards the Süleymaniye Mosque Complex, built in honour of Süleyman the Magnificent is mesmerising. A hazy skyline, all about balance and symmetry. Towers, domes, minarets, columns and cupolas are all gracefully harmonised. The architect Mimar Sinan travelled all over Europe and the Middle East for the Islamic and Christian inspiration. He set out to balance power and pleasure, in the finest religious buildings, which earned him the title of the Master Builder.