Big transfer in Istanbul
Istanbul 2017
It was our fifth anniversary Istanbul and, accordingly, the seventh time in Turkey. I want to say one thing, there are many cities in this world, but Istanbul is one. One is so cozy and hospitable. Even when you have only 13 hours in this city, you are completely imbued with it. For such a long transfer, we were entitled to a free hotel with transfers and a city tour. But we, as always, had our own plans in this regard, and we ran from the plane along the shortest path to the subway. In general, the fact that we passed the first flight proved that everything was fine with the tickets. True, the question was a little embarrassing at registration, when, to my request to write out the entire group of tickets to Langkawi, I received the answer “Where is Langkawi at all? ”. But Langkawi really existed and this could not but rejoice. The border guard has introduced a requirement to scan the index fingers. Moreover, this was demonstrated on the banner so skillfully that many tourists put two fingers to the drawn scanner on the banner, and not to the device standing next to it.
As for February, we were very lucky with the weather. By the time we got to the center, the sun came out and no longer hid. The weather was ten degrees warmer than Kyiv. But minus one did not give us the opportunity to walk without warm clothes. Since we got off at the wrong stop, we got to know the city even closer, getting to the center. On the way to the center, we met a guy dealing with a classic scam with a “lost” shoe brush. But no matter how we tried to loom before him, he did not peck at us. Apparently the faces are very prosharennye. There was a rather strange dilemma, I wanted to eat, but at the same time, you won’t see sunny Istanbul not only every day, but not every trip either.
The meal had to be postponed. But roasted chestnuts, as always, came to the rescue. After drinking positive waves in the central square of Sultan Ahmet, we went to our favorite park with parrots - Gulhane. On the way to the park, we were accompanied by the magical singing of mosques.
Flocks of parrots seemed to be waiting for us. As we entered the park, they immediately began to circle between the trees. Giant trees still grew majestically along the park road. It was one of our first places that we visited on our first trip to the then unexplored city. In the park, unfortunately, those magical panoramas of the Bosphorus were closed with a fence. Let's hope this is temporary. Through the gaps in the fence, the strait seemed to beckon us with its azure water.
Of course, I’m not a fan of markets, but in the Asian part of Istanbul in the Uskudar district there is one market, having visited it once, you will return like a coin to a magnet. We jumped into a futuristic tram and rushed along the Galata bridge across the bay to the port of Kabatas. Another pleasant memory comes from how they pronounce this word on the tram. Then it was necessary to make a march on foot to the port of Besiktash and now we are sailing to Asia by ferry. Who would have thought that on an Asian trip, you also need to visit the Asian part in Istanbul for a complete immersion. Warming cups of our favorite sakhlep were waiting for us on the ferry.
And in Uskudar, everyone was waiting for their own. Dasha - shopping with the purchase of traditional blue pants, and me glasses of freshly squeezed fresh juices for lira. It seems to me that the seller clearly remembered me for all the years. In the meantime, the shadows began to lengthen and the dusk to make its way through the back streets of the streets. Since the sunny weather no longer kept us, it was possible to start our hearty meal.
This was spectacular. There are places on earth where you like everything.
The temperature started to drop. I even had to buy a hat. Returning to the port of Besiktas, naturally, not without a cup of sakhlep, we headed for the evening festivities in the Ortakoy area. To say that this area is cool is to say nothing at all. Most of all, street food vendors were delighted with our visit. One shook my hand so hard that I had to count my fingers afterwards. The cold, meanwhile, penetrated deeper and deeper through our spring clothes. But there was still time to walk along the main Isteklal street. Then we returned by tram to our native Sultan Ahmet. They said to the night fountain and the square “Goodbye! ” and rushed to the airport! Our next stop will be one of the most modern cities in the world, the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
