Playing Tourist

I feel a lot like Carry Bradshaw. The only difference between us is that I haven’t been to all of the museums in Istanbul twice. I haven’t been once.

I decided to play tourist on Saturday heading to the tourist district of Old Istanbul, which I really hate. You need to be in good humour to venture out there as you will be swallowed up by Turks trying to sell you anything and everything.

I walked across the bridge, instead of taking a bus because I wanted to take photos of all the fisherman and see what kind of fish they catch. The fish is very small, the size my dad gets when he goes fishing.

I walk practically to the right spot when I decide I need to take a bus to the metro. I get on one that says Eminonu, but instead of going in the right direction, it took me back across the bridge.

I laughed and took a taxi to Aya Sofia.

An old mosque from the Byzantium period, I was mesmorized by its sheer size. There’s nothing there. Empty marble walls, corridors, light fixtures and certain areas where tile work has been preserved.

When I thought who was standing at that exact spot thousands of years ago, I got a chill.

I tried to go to the Blue Mosque, but because it was prayer time, I couldn’t.

I also did not have a scarf.

I just kept walking around the Sultanhamet area trying to shop. I haven’t found anything for my father yet and he is the most difficult man to shop for.

I wandered off the streets into areas where I probably shouldn’t have been alone, but that’s where the stores were. I found leather and fur stores, mostly.

Then I went to the Egyptian bazaar, also known as Spice bazaar. It was beautiful. Much smaller than the main one and the smell of spices was amazing. There were also lots of silk items. And outside the bazaar building were the smaller shops and you could really find great things there.

I was done with shopping and pretending to be a tourist.