Tag 6 - 9.9.2023 Istanbul

The juggernaut Istanbul awaits us. After breakfast we take the van for 45 minutes to a suburb. We park the car there with a good feeling. Now it’s time to purchase the Istanbul Card. This has credit and you can use it to use local transport. Once you've run out of credit, you can't get on the bus or train. You have to top up the card first. Everything happens at the machine. Not a bad system and the local transport is fast and effective. Then we board the metrobus. This has two separate lanes on the 10-lane road and takes us to the center at 100 km/h. Another bit on the tram and after another hour we are at the blue mosque. Unfortunately, it is currently closed for religious reasons. But the inner courtyard impresses with its minatettes and architecture. So we move over to Hagia Sophia, the main Muslim church in Istanbul. Built in 537 AD, it impresses with its enormous dome. It's relatively dark inside with excellent acoustics. I am deeply impressed by the Muhezin and the architecture. After a hearty kebab, we head to the huge market hall. The evening ends with a boat trip on the Bosphorus as the sun sets. Tired and satisfied, we reach our parking space at 11:20 p.m., have another meal and are in our sleeping bags at 12:30 a.m.