Trip to Istanbul :: Short and sweet escapade

Assalamualaikum,

Pagi tadi masa cakap dengan Am, dia ingatkan pasal tempat terakhir yang kitorang sempat melawat masa dekat Europe exactly one year ago. Then I baru teringat, rupa-rupanya I tak sempat nak commemorate the photos dalam blog ni lagi. So, here we go! Let's recall our trip to a place that sits on both European and Asian lands, that is Istanbul in Turkey. Ohh well, after a series of adventures travelling to a few European capitals, Istanbul has by far became the city that I love the most.

Sebelum ni pernah dengar je tempat nama Istanbul yang sangat terkenal dengan sejarah kegemilangan pemerintahan Islam. Lepas tu tengok pulak cerita Istanbul Aku Datang, lakonan Lisa Surihani dengan sape tah nama hero dia lupa pulak, hihihi. Masa tu dah terfikir, wowww cantiknya tempat ni. I told myself that one day I mesti nak jejak kaki dekat sini.

And then, masa tengah mencari tempat nak pergi dalam minggu terakhir sebelum balik Malaysia, kitorang terjumpa website Pegasus Airlines (syarikat tambang murah macam AirAsia) yang tawarkan penerbangan dari Vienna ke Istanbul dengan harga yang sangatlah murah!! Kalau dari Malaysia, jangan harap la nak dapat return ticket untuk SEORANG harga bawah 3K. Tapi yang ni kitorang dapat, return tiket untuk DUA ORANG around 1K je. Murahhh kannn?? (^_^)Y

So, lepas dah booked flight, sorted out our 2-night accommodation and plan nak pegi mana and nak buat apa semua, apa lagi, Istanbul Aku Datang lah!! Again, we got so much information dari blog Kaklong (I told you she has been to almost every part of the world remember?), and from her complete reviews, kitorang dapat pegi hampir semua tempat yang menarik dalam masa yang sangat singkat! Isn't that awesome? :)

Kitorang sampai sana malam dalam pukul 9 macam tu, at Sabiha Gotchen Airport (the Asian side of Istanbul). Ada lagi satu airport dekat the European side nama Mustapha Kamal Attaturk Airport. So if you are planning to visit Istanbul, be happy to find any cheap airline that lands in one of these. InsyaAllah senang je nak sampai ke city centre.

Dari airport pulak, kitorang naik bas untuk ke city centre. It took us nearly two hours to reach Taksim Central from the airport. Padahal tak jauh mana pun, tapi the traffic was very bad on the night we arrived, so merasalah kitorang redah traffic jam di kota Istanbul. huahuahua. Tapi kannn, Istanbul is surprisingly a thoroughly modern city where we can see ancient grandeur meets contemporary design. Super love!

Okay, memandangkan dah setahun punya cerita, I can't really recall much I guess. I shall let the pictures do the talking okay? So you better brace yourself, thousands of pictures coming your way! :p

Sampai je hotel, letak bag and terus datang sini.
The most famous street in Instanbul, Istiklal Avenue. Happening gila! Please find time to make it here!

Demirören Istiklal occupying most of the famous shops under one roof.

Tapi kiorang tak sempat masuk pun sebab dah tutup time tu.

Desserts heaven. Seriously, I wonder diorang ni tak kena kencing manis ke?
Berkilat je semua manisan ni nampak sangat banyak gula. T___T

Dah sampai rugi la tak try makanan diorang kan?
We tried their meatballs. Gravy dia sedap!! Teringat pulak. huhu.

The next day. we started very early in the morning.
The weather was sooo good walaupun kadang-kadang angin sejuk jugak.

The famous Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii). The most beautiful mosque I have ever been.
Please please make this as your number one place to visit if you plan to go to Istanbul.

Inside the Blue Mosque. Muslim lelaki je yang boleh masuk solat dalam kawasan berpagar tu.
Tapi diorang sediakan jugak ruang solat wanita dekat belakang.
And tourist  pun boleh masuk untuk tengok sendiri keindahan senibina Empayar Uthmaniyyah ni.

My lucky husband. Habis seluruh pelosok masjid dia terjah and amik gambar.
I tengok je dari jauh. huhu.

A little bit of drizzle at the land of Istanbul looks fun, isn't it?
Tapi sejuk weh. T__T

I told you I couldn't had enough of this place.
Cantik sangat semua tempat pun rasa nak bergambar kenangan.

Next we went to Topkapi Palace.
The primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for approximately 400 years

Along the pathway to the palace.

You can buy your entry pass from the machine or the counter.
Tapi machine rosak time ni. So kitorang beli kat counter jugak. we were lucky sebab belom ramai lagi time ni.
Masa nak keluar tu tengok orang ramai beratur dah berlingkar-lingkar macam ular. huhu.

At the entrance. we are ready to explore the palace come museum now.

Ada banyak courtyards and smaller buildings dalam ni. Here is the entrance to one of the buildings.

Suasana dalam ni sangat cantik and menenagkan. Memang boleh feel macam dalam perkarangan istana.

The library. Hampir semua bangunan ada paip yang cantik kat luar.
Senang untuk orang ambik wudhu'. Best kan camni? :)

Husband finding out the sun clock.

View of the Marmara sea from the palace.

Door to the Imperial Divan

Separate entrance to the Harem.
The harem was home to the sultan's mother, wives, and the rest of his family.

What a very beautiful wall decor inside the Harem. Iznik tiles.

I forgot where was this picture taken. Tapi suka gambar ni. :)

One of the bridges that connects the Asia land with the European land.

Another mosque yang macam Blue Mosque.
Senibina macam ni lebih kurang macam trademark Ottoman Empire la,

Fish Burger. The best I ever had. Next time kalau ada rezeki mesti nak cari lagi fish burger pakcik ni.
The grilled fish was very fresh and juicy. Berebut-rebut makan dengan Am. hahaha.

• Süleymaniye Mosque

Our apartment over the weekend. Best and sangat selesa walaupun murah. :P

Ready to leave. Goodbye Istanbul. We enjoyed our short trip.
Definitely will visit you again.

Tempat tunggu bas untuk pergi Sabiha Gotchen Airport.

While waiting for boarding. Tumpang wifi cafe.
Standard la nama pun tourist kan. :p

Phewwww!! Finally habis jugak. Penatnya describe each and every picture. Semua masuk dalam 1 entry je. Tak kuasa nak buat part by part. Tu pun banyak tempat yang mengelat tak masuk dalam ni. hahaha. Takpe, saja buat kenangan ada jugak cerita kat dalam blog ni untuk bacaan di hari tua. hikhik. :p

Okay, see you next time! tata. :*