Istanbul

I had been to Istanbul before so I knew what to expect from my visit this time. When I went there in 2005, I was a little ignorant and had absolutely no idea what to expect. Sure I had some preconceptions of what it would be like but in the end I was pleasantly surprised by what I found in Istanbul.

It's a massive city of I don't know, different figures are bandied about; some say 15 million people, some say more. It's a great vibrant city, it's really busy all the time, it's got a nice buzz to it, but it also has a homely feel to it if you venture outside of the touristy areas. There's always lots of people milling around all over the place. Near the Grand Bazaar and in other places in the city, you'll see the men and boys too carrying deliveries on a cart or on their head.

I stayed in the same hostel in the Sultanhamet area that I stayed in in 2005 so that I wouldn't have to waste any time finding me bearings. I only stayed in Istanbul for 3 days before moving on to Ankara, but I got to see lots. Next post will show some photos of what I saw.