Wednesday 12 November 2025

Time to do the tourists stuff today, so off to the European side, across the Bosporus by ferry. But first, breakfast at the cafĂ© next to our hotel was a massive plate of salad, pickles and fresh tomatoes on walnut bread for Flashy and Lady P’s plate included a fried egg and a grilled sausage.

Now, here's an interesting observation. In France and England there are more barbers than pubs. Even small towns have two or three "Turkish" barbers in the High Street. So, given that Turkish chaps are a tad hirsute, you'd think there'd be barbers everywhere. Not that he needs one, but Flashy was contemplating a good, old fashioned Turkish barber cut in, well, Turkiye. There's not many about. Perhaps they shave their own backs?

Istanbul is a bit like Sydney, without the high rise. Both are split by a harbour; everyone wears black and I mean from head to foot. They probably even wear black undies. And there’s mussies everywhere. Well, you’d expect that here, wouldn’t you? There’s a few more than Sydney, just. But it does have a Sydney, western suburbs vibe. 

Lots of people smoke here. More than we have observed so far on the trip elsewhere but unlike that shithole, Naples, there’s no cigarette buts everywhere. The town is very clean and the Turks are friendly and quite secular- as they are proud of. Good on you Mustaffa.

A 12,000+ step walk on the tourist side of Istanbul passed the outside of the Blue Mosque (ho hum) and onto the Grand Bazaar. Interesting if you are not claustrophobic but possibly a covid hotspot. Flashy is underwhelmed now with “tourist” sights. Lady P sensed this, so she took him to the Bank Hotel rooftop bar where we had negronis, raki, tempura battered saganaki and some delicious fried anchovies. Back on our (Asian) side of town, we dodged the thousands of well fed, sleepy street cats to get a pide snack for dinner.

Sign on our bathroom door.
Breakfast
Tourist spot

Grand Bazaar

Spice market
Rooftop bar and raki
Anchovy tacos and tempura saganaki

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