An unplanned day in Istanbul...

I didn’t wake up until 8.30am so headed straight down to breakfast. I found some French toast for starters, then two 3-minute boiled eggs, which were as hard as rocks. Heavens only knows how hard the 5-minute eggs are! The found something that resembled muesli, and helped myself to a bowl, then back for some more French toast, all washed down with two cups of coffee.

I came back to my room, talked to Ross, who gave me enough confidence to venture out on my own. I checked what’s on my tour already and thought I’d try to find the Basilica Cisterns, so I loaded it on my maps and set off.

I was walking with a purpose, still being accosted by every single shopkeeper, but I managed to get there without entering a single shop. One man tried to sell me a leather coat! Another a Turkish carpet! Yet another invited me to see ”his collection”. I didn’t dare ask of what. I paid my 20 Turkish lira cash at the door and walked down the stairs to get an audio guide for 5 lira. To make sure I returned it, they wanted my passport! I left it at the hotel- thank you, Keeley!

I wandered around taking photos, and marvelling at the sheer size and the engineering skills of 6^th century Romans. I was approached to take a photo. Obviously he is worse at selfies than I am. I took a few (hopefully one is half-decent) and started chatting. He picked my accent as Scottish, so I kept him guessing until he got it right! I had to give him lots of clues. I thought he was Japanese, but he was actually of Korean heritage, but an American from San Francisco, who has never been to Alcatraz! He accompanied me on my walk back to my hotel, and even though the accosting continued, I just kept saying my friend is waiting for me and he would stop a few steps ahead and wait. It made the homeward journey much more enjoyable. We surmised that they keep on doing it because they might actually get one buyer out of every hundred.  The one that made me laugh said in English, “ Come in and let me spend your money!”

I arrived back at the Rocket Bar and ordered a Efes Pilsener, and tapped into their wifi, while I was drinking it and posted the photos I had taken and chatted to Liz, who was the reason I even knew about the Basilica Cisterns! Apparently I had missed the Medusa! Thanks, Liz! I jumped in the lift and hit the 6^th floor button but was delivered to the Turkish Bath in the basement. The receptionist asked would I like a massage, so I looked at the prices and the array of types of massages, and opted for a one hour “medicinal massage”. Leila was my masseuse and she was fantastic! Best massage ever; so good in fact, that I booked another two! I get free use of the Turkish bath, the sauna, the spa and pool, plus I received a mud facial for free! It was stinky mud, but my skin feels fantastic! I want another one of those before I leave Istanbul!

Finally, I made it back to my loft room, simply starving and devoured the rest of my cold pizza. It was divine- much tastier than last night- or maybe I was just hungrier! I checked the price of the beer in the fridge – 3 euro seemed reasonable-and opened one of them.

I watched another Doctor Who, listened to George Ezra and washed my hair before bed. This is the life!