Istanbul Hop-On Hop-Off adventure

If you had reached this Blog thinking that its about the on-off relationship between Brad and Angie, then i am deeply sorry for you but you are most welcomed to continue reading. This is a hop-on hop-off of a different kind. After being for almost a year in Istanbul, I finally took the Hop-On Hop-Off travel bus to tour the city of Istanbul. You know how it is, just as you'd never know how the hotels are in the city that you live, you'll never bother to do what the tourists normally do, right? So..what made me do it? Well...i had this guest who was staying for 2 weeks and I was at my wits end trying to figure out how to kill the time, so there I was!

Its called Hop-On Hop-Off because you can hop-on (get on) and hop-off (get down) anywhere you want within 24 hours at the 73 locations that the bus was going through. Did I say 73? Yes...and that is only concentrating at the Fatih and Taksim area. We have not even touched the Anatolian (Asian) side or the Prince's Island. So maybe now you'll have an idea of the many great places that one can visit in Istanbul.

how it all began....maybe, if you paid attention to the video, you don't need to take the Hop On Hop Off again. there...i've saved you Euro20 for the fare! aren't you lucky !!!

it is actually available all over the world.....noticed how many interesting places you could visit?

Our (me and my guest) strategy was quite simple. We planned to make two round trips. The first trip, we stay put in the bus and don't do any hopping. We 'recce' the area first and then decide which stop to hop-off on the second trip. Perfect plan,eh? Yes..except for the fact that we were too busy taking photographs that we didn't really see the scenery. So..we make changes to our plan. Ok...maybe we stop at Taksim square and then hop-off. Good plan actually...except that my guest was snoring away when the bus reached Taksim Square and I didn't have the heart to wake her up. Besides..i was not done taking photographs yet. You see...the first round, I sat on the left side of the bus. That mean, I missed snapping shots of the Beautiful Bosphorous (which was to my right). On the second trip, I scrambled for the seat on the right and managed to take photos of the places that I missed.

the bus start the journey in front of The Hagia Sophia and will make a round return trip within 90 minutes. If you were early, you can always go to the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basillica Cistern, the Grand bazaar, the Topkapi Palace and many other places within a short walking distance to each other....

the famous Istanbul Train Station where the movie  "Murder on the Orient Express" was shot, plus many other famous movies...

these anglers insisted that their photos were taken....so I obliged !!

the beautiful Dolmabahce Camii (Mosque) 

my travelling companion...lost in her Slumberland.....in reality, she was at Taksim Square....

beautiful Suleymaniye Camii (mosque) in the foreground. Designed, created and built by the architect Mimbar Sinan, the talented Christian Armenian who converted to Islam upon being convinced by the Sultan. He thus had the creativity, talent and foresight to merge the beautiful Christianity and Islamic architecture.

gorgeous Bulgarian METAL church....!!!!

Eyup Sultan Camii....many muslim throng to this mosque as it is considered sacred and one would normally go for visits and to ask for favors (doa), prayers and wishes...and many claimed that their wishes came true after the visit...

simits for your growling tummy? too bad..the bus do not allow you to eat or drink while you are on it, altho' I saw many who defied the rule and still drink as it was a rather hot day. 

The best part is...everybody on the bus had the same idea as us. it was the same group of people from the first trip taking a second trip ha ha. I know this for a fact because one of the nice ladies told me "yes, we noticed that its the same friendly girls again"! Us...girls?? Thank you,Lord! I'm not about to argue with her on that he he.

After almost a year of living in Istanbul, I only knew few weeks ago that...the Galata bridge was designed by Leonardo Da Vinci (not Leonardo DiCaprio 'tho he's better looking), the Istanbul train station was where the legendary movie "Murder on the Orient Express" was made and another James Bond movie, that the chain running across the Golden Horn was attached to the Galata Tower (more on this later), that there is a cable car linking to a restaurant in a lake and many many more!

It was indeed a very educational adventure and when we finally hop-off (at the same stop where we hop-on, not very adventurous of us,are we? ) we were both  tired physically and mentally. And... as if to test our endurance, the tren going back to Kabatas was jam-packed that people literally had to be pushed in to get in. And to top it all, a man elbowed me on my nose! I thought my nose was broken and I had tapped him on the shoulder and was about to land my heels onto his heels when I noticed that he was holding a baby...yikes! Not fair, not fair! So..I only managed to give him a dagger-look which he didn't even seem to notice or flinch. You horrid, horrid man! I bet you're not Turkish !!!

Please click HERE   to watch full set of the photos taken during the tour. And.. 'pardon' the quality of the photos as there were all taken on a moving bus, except for Taksim Square. You really need a steady hand to capture those scenery ....phew !!!

P/s Sorry couldn't continue with "Iftar in Istanbul" this week. Will try again next week.