Turkey > The cobbler of Istanbul

In front of the station, several taxi drivers offer tempting deals for hotels. We don’t take any of them up on it. Outside the station, we meet two Belgians who had been lured into a hotel for $90 (150 guilders) per room. We were thinking more along the lines of ƒ10 per person. Braving all the offers, we head toward the Tourist Information office. This office—the only one open on Sunday—is about 500 meters from the station. They recommend a simple hotel that costs only ƒ9 per person per night. That seems suitable. We follow their directions and find a hotel. We shower, but there is no hot water. Soon it also becomes clear that this isn’t the hotel the Tourist Information had directed us to—it’s even slightly cheaper.

Turkey - A view over Istanbul

We accept the cold shower and the noisy rooms. When we try to check in that afternoon, the hotelier is too tired and not in the mood. “Later,” he says. Fine, then not! We start our walk through the city toward the bazaar. On the streets, people constantly try to sell things. Within a few meters, Ron is approached by a shoeshiner. “Ah, Holland! Friends! Photo! Photo!” Before he knows it, his shoes are being polished. I also get pulled in (“Friends!”). We only have large bills, and no change is given (“Sick wife, poor children, etc.”). In the end, it costs us over ƒ8. In less than fifty meters, we’ve already been swindled once. Unfortunately, the shoeshiner can’t fix my loose soles. At least my shoes are polished nicely, so I can safely take them back to Van Haren. The bazaar hall is closed on Sundays, but the streets outside are bustling. Everywhere we go, people try to entice us with the best deals. We search for a reliable place to eat, so street vendors are out. We step into a fast-food restaurant and eat for about 60,000 Turkish Lire (ƒ12). The walk continues to the Blue Mosque. Here, we are only allowed inside with covered legs. We can borrow a cloth for free. Shoes must be removed. The mosque is full of carpets. The enormous space and beautiful dome are marred by the low-hanging lighting. The second major mosque can only be visited in combination with a museum. We decide not to go in and continue to the palace.

Turkey - The Blue Mosque in Istanbul

Time is too short for a proper visit, so we plan to return tomorrow. A little further on, we reach a park. At the gate, hundreds of Turks are streaming in. We can’t see exactly what’s happening, but with a student discount, we pay only three-quarters of a lira to enter. Inside, the park is a mix between a fair and a carnival. There is also a performance by the local André Hazes. He is greeted with loud applause from the thousands of people. Further on, there is a large disco, and at the carnival, we manage to knock the locals out of the slow bumper cars more effectively by moving our bodies in rhythm. We don’t have enough money to eat, so we search for a currency exchange outside the park—tricky on a Sunday evening. Along the way, we meet a group of Dutch travelers and exchange interrail experiences. While we stand there, a light show starts near the Blue Mosque, which we watch for a while. By ten o’clock, we still don’t have money but are hungry. We enter a hotel and are finally able to exchange money. The eatery is quickly found. From the outside, it looks nice. Large containers display the food, and you simply point to what you want—very convenient. Although I have no idea what I am eating, it tastes good. Monique and Sandra return to the hotel, while Ron and I head back to the carnival in the park. When we return an hour and a half later to go to bed, Monique and Sandra are still awake—they have done their laundry.