May 3, 2026 - Istanbul

 Istanbul - May 3, 2026

We used stopover program offered by the Turkish Airlines. I picked the Grand Yavuz hotel in Sultanahmet, known as the heart of old Constantinople.  Walking inside and around the Bazaar was a joyful experience. There are gold shops, sweets and spices shops, Turkish lamp shops, all kind of shops. Buying ice cream here was very fun. The seller played tricks with the ice cream and its cone. Everytime I thought I got a hold to the cone, then, it disappeared. We laughed a lot and I got hungry when finally got a hold on to it. Buying fresh little short of coffee here was very fun too. The seller heated the coffee using sand. Pistachio coffee was delicious. Turkish delights and Turkish teas were very delicious too. The shops around the Bazaar are like the shops over Pahurat in Thailand. They sold both retail and wholesale goods. The shoe district was the whole strip of shoes shops. We visited the ancient site of Basicila Cistern and The Blue Mosque, which are very beautiful. Women must also have a hair covering. Hotel rooms use perfume with very strong scent. Ducky had to open the window to get rid of the smell. It was good that it gradually faded. Turkish people seem to drink tea regularly. The tea vendor will walk to deliver the tea and deliver the snacks using a tray. The used tea cup and snack dishes are brought back to wash. No need for disposable cups or plates or plastic bags. I like the idea.