Enid's Trips: Wednesday, 9 June 2021: Flight to Istanbul

I arrived in Istanbul early afternoon and had a taxi ride already scheduled to my hotel. However once I got within a ten minute walk the driver informed me that it would be faster to walk because the traffic was so bad, so I walked the last bit on crutches carrying a backpack. I was on crutches because I had broken my foot 6 weeks earlier. I hadn't taken public transportation because I wanted to avoid walking on crutches with a backpack, but it worked out just fine.

I stayed at the Sude Konak Hotel, in the Sultanahmet area, in the Old Town and near Hagia Sophia. They gave me an upgraded room--a balcony and a whirlpool tub. Breakfast was amazing--among more usual breakfast choices, they had greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, feta, olives, and a tahini dressing, so I had salad every morning for breakfast sitting outside looking at the Hagia Sophia. It was great!

Breakfast!

After I checked into the hotel I walked around to get my bearings and obtained a metro card. The most touristy thing I did today was to visit Gülhane Park. Tomorrow I'm planning to go to Hagia Sofia and to take a cruise on the Bosphorus. Istanbul felt really safe. I was told that pickpockets tend to leave tourists alone because there is such a high penalty, and I felt safe everywhere I went in Istanbul. I did well traveling by myself and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Although I enjoy traveling with my friends and family, I will definitely travel by myself again.