After waking for the 1st time due to muslim prayer, we wake again at 8.30am to a mediterrean breakfast with tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, olives and feta (how good is cheese?!). Different yet tasty. Heading off, we went to see a few spots including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and other temples.
Craving Turkish Coffee, we head off to a dessert cafe and tuck into some treats and turkish coffee. We start heading towards the docks, when a group of friendly locals invite us for some free tea (tell me you know where this is going!). On arriving in the dodgy alley way, we are served a round of delicious tea and enjoy the conversation with our new found Turk mates. Our friendly exchange of words sooned turned into a sales pitch from the Turks wanting us to come for a 5 minute walk to see “Turkish Baths”. This invitation coincided with one of the Turks offering us “Lovely Ladies”. Not being too keen, we decline their offer. They try the invitation again, but this time the trip seems to be in 2 taxi’s and 10 minutes away (*****). After declining for the 2nd time, we decide to pay for our teas and leave. Paul received the bill verbally through a whisper in his ear…50 Lira (AUD$50) for 4 teas. This should of come to around AUD$8. After some tense moments and fast negotiating, we depart the alley paying $10 Lira - obviously because we are all on double figures with our pushups weekly now! We have been getting huge!
Our mission today was to walk to Taksim (a hot tip from Jesse in the hostel). Walking down to the water, we are stunned by hundreds of locals fishing off the bridge and pondered how their lines were not getting tangled and why they all continued to fish when it appeared none of them were catching anything. After a further 45 minute walk, 1 massive hill and a giant stair case, we arrive at Taksim (think Queen Street Mall * 10). Shops, restaurants, clubs, 1000 music instrument stores and generally a good vibe.
Heading back to the hostel, we stopped at a tower (around 12 stories high) which had awesome views of Instanbul and its sheer size (10 million population). Back at the hotel, we kicked back with a few beers on the rooftop and then wandered the town again, and find ourselves back at the same restaurant from last night, only this time with a 15% discount and round of Turkish coffee.
Itching to see the Istanbul nightlife, the boys head out on the town, catching the craziest taxi of all time. Think Michael Schumacher meets a Club DJ. With the music blaring Turkish Trance, and our taxi driver travelling over 120kph in narrow, crowded cobblestone streets, we said our prayers and 2 minutes later we arrived at the clubs. None of us knew what to expect, but the energy and amount of people out clubbing and having a great time was amazing. After a good stint out, we head home for bed at 4am for our 6am start the same day on our Gallopi tour.
Mahmut, Peroz, Günter, Cahid
