Eat & Go - Ataturk Airport

 For such a tiny confine, the place looks very cosy and extremely inviting. Nice touches of quirkiness here and there which to a certain extent, reminds me of tiny Sangria hideouts in Barcelona .

Turkish men are fast, age is just a number

If you refer to a back post, you'll see how I got on a crazy bus driver's tour bus and cut across Taksim Square.

Well, this driver is not as nuts, only thing is after we whizzed through Fatih, he thought his van was as small as a moped but faster than a Ferrari .

In fact I had to balance as if I was on a speedboat. If I were younger I might think this is exciting, but I have kids back home waiting for me. Lol, not a good way to roll.

Yeah, by the time we got to the highway proper, He owned it and drove it as if it were the German Autobahn. Omfg...and I still had the guts to take pictures though the wind itself ( read... Desperate ).Wind alone could have knocked my camera out of my hands,flung them far into the flower beds, maybe even knock the living daylights out of these grass crouchers

I miss you Istanbul

I don't wanna leave you Istanbul but I have to, my loved ones are waiting back home for me

My heart aches as I spend the last few days with you 

Funny pics I took in Istanbul - part 2

The crazy crowds that made navigating the lanes here almost like a New Year countdown . It was soooo packed with sooo many people that when I used my skills to dodge in and out but eventually got stuck near that famous coffee bean seller at the back, and berated by a local lady in that 5 human lanes gridlock. Turned my head behind to sneak a look, only to be greeted by a row of grinning locals who decided to keep up and move along with this foreigner.

Watching the crowds descending on this cheese shop which decided to all of a sudden slash their prices. 

It was madness !

Funny pics I took in Istanbul - part 1

Meet the tulip's arch enemy.

How many have they pounded , sprayed upon and violently slashed or dug up in their claim for territorial free space.

:D 

I'll let you ponder over this let sleeping dogs lie pic.

See if you get what I find so funny here

LC Waikiki

LC Waikiki is a local Turkish apparel chain store. Outlets can be found all over Istanbul. Their clothes are outsourced but one can be assured of European quality when it comes to the end look.

 The best part about shopping here is they cater to larger 

sizes without segregating your choice into some boring, frumpy corner full of horrible aunty fashions hung on big mannequins . 

The Instaweather app did it for me

This app may be old , but I just love it to death as I used it to record my travel journey, like a clock-in visual diary , (provided I could latch onto Wifi). Looking at this pic, I can recall how wonderful it was to step out onto the bustling street, the very next morning , which way the sun shone , as well as how crisp and perfect the air was.

Yep, the filters are so amazing , even my final healthy plate of Kahvalti for breakfast on the 22nd remains fresh in my mind. Fact is, the Turkish diet is so healthy I am convinced I shed a bit of weight despite chowing down lamb , kebabs etc etc

Yeni Cami - just chillin' outside the New Mosque

This is what I have progressed to today.

No trying to fit in as many sights as possible. That's sheer madness. No, not for me . Today, I've learnt how to waste time, yes waste it, sitting around, doing absolutely nothing but bask in the cool wind , just waiting for the sunset

Meantime, I love people watching the lovers, old folks, families, students, friends, fat pigeons lifting off ....as well as marvel at the fact of me, just being there :)

Spring flowers I want to remember in Istanbul

I want to remember the laden bed of tulips opposite the Galata Bridge

Royal yellow tulips dancing in the light breeze amongst cay 

 drinkers 

It's spring at the garden centres

The bed of tulips brighten up the otherwise cloudy day

The air was shattered by this kid here who was acting like 

quite the spoilt brat. One minute, she wanted to feed the cat , 

next she held back. It went on and on, with her screaming and in tears, but from what I've seen elsewhere ( well , at least in public ), most middle eastern moms, never hit their children. No. 

What's there to do in Fatih Park

Have a picnic or catch forty winks

Hang around or snap selfies at the Sultan Mehmet II the 

Conqueror's monument

Try not to get in the very busy , fastidious and super 

annoying roadwasher's way

Check out the Aviation Martyr's Monument

.. list of names at the bottom

Explore the pretty Fire Fighter's museum

Location : Fatih

Try not to mistep in the conservative district

With all the constant digging around, one really has not only to watch your step in this district but to be respectful of what behaviours are not acceptable among the sexes.

Still, coming from Malaysia, because I felt alright in this 

area, I momentarily forgot to check myself.

Bought a handcarved comb from this old Turkmenistan 

man. In my eagerness to choose, I made the mistake of 

sitting on the stairs next to him to select what I wanted. He 

played it cool but I sensed his discomfort and when I got up 

to put a further distance between us, boy,was he relieved.

Later on, I chanced upon these Turkish ladies saying an open 

prayer by a small cemetery. Seemed to be praying a long 

time, even though they were just standing there. These small 

burial plots can be found all over . Most times they remain 

pretty unnoticeable unless you really open your eyes and 

take a good hard look. Still, me and cemeteries, erm, not 

very "ngam". Which explains why I'm at a 'safe' distance 

from across the road

The tiny building next door is a village head's beat. 

 Wasn't open since it was a Sunday.

It is also here, that you can find more ladies covered up from head to toe , dressed just in black like the woman below.

Fatih can be enjoyable to explore just make sure that you are in tune with the local culture with no mistep.

Location : Fatih Mosque locality

Quaint little mosque in Fatih - Atikali Camii Mescidi

The little mescidi lay across from this doner joint where I had stopped for a breather.

Instead of coke or Turkish cay, I went for a bottle of Frutti Extra. Not bad actually ..

On with the exploring . 

Looking at this photo, one might think I'm in say...an Italian seaside village rather than in Istanbul.

Quaint....laidback , really enjoying this

The Aksaray tram station

In the few days I was here, this was generally my start off and get off point, from morning till sundown. Compared to

Aksaray Metro station further down the road , though I still got plenty of looks...

Good thing is there are no touchy feely , sneaky prodding fellas in this Tram station to contend with.

Pretty flowers lining Sehzadebasi Caddesi

This pic shows just how irresistible Istanbul is to shutterbugs

The grass was emerald, the cherry blossoms had come to life, and the impatients were just spectacular

Street drummer boy and his merry band of angels

They put a smile on everyone's faces with their antics on the streets.This bunch of angels may look sweet and innocent, but they came equipped with enough street smartness to know how to run away from authorities. 

Most adults enjoyed their impromptu dance performance so much so that some were compelled to give them whatever small change. They never begged, they didn't have too, they were just soooo cute and adorable !

Little Russia in Istanbul

Walking upwards towards the direction of the Grand Bazaar, from Aksaray tram station, you will pass the Laleli Mosque.

When you see this, follow this side of the road , and you will soon see shops with signs in Russian along the way

Men lugging boxes full of merchandise, clothes, cloth etc is 

the norm all over the city. Never tire seeing them at work though.

Portukal Suyuk - sweetest orange juice ever

If my guess is right, Portukal Suyuk means Portugal orange, juiced. 

And yeah, I know, where I am. 

Did not intend to try it because you know, the oranges suppliers bring into Malaysia are almost like lottery luck. Sometimes they're so darned sour, I wonder why I evenbother to believe the sugar coated lies.

Cherry blossoms burst to life in Sultanahmet

Japan and even Washington have famous cherry blossom lined avenues and parks which tourists fly in to see..

...but wait till you see the occasional specimens growing in Istanbul.

Suleymaniye Mosque - world heritage site, don't miss it

The Suleymaniye Mosque was built during the Ottoman period by Suleiman the Magnificent. It is the largest mosque in Istanbul and can be seen from the Galata Bridge.

1557 is a really loooong time ago, but extensive preservation has helped maintain the very pristine and stunning architecture to enthrall visitors till this day.

Not to worry if you come without a guide, info

 can be found on signboards outside this World Heritage site.