Turkey Day 25 - The Grand Bazaar & Topkapi Palace

Grand Bazaar

Today is the final full day in Turkey, and I made a decision in that I wouldn’t make any decisions today!

The holiday has been just great and I visited everything what I wanted to and I have seen lots but to do so I have put in a huge amount of effort and as such I am always making decisions and it is very tiring, especially over a 4 week period.

So today Julianne and Grandma are in charge.

First up it is the Grand Bazaar, a key place Julianne wanted to visit before we left as she has fond memories from the last visit with Nadia. And instead of walking there as I would have done Grandma made the decision to take the tram, she really likes trams and trains.

The bazaar is just huge and there is so much for sale and the prizes are not even cheap or anything either. Grandma brought a couple of things for her last presents. The Grand Bazaar was interesting but it was too much for Grandma and as this the last day of the holiday, everything we wanted to purchase has already been done so.

Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

Then it was back on the tram towards where we are staying (again Grandma’s decision) and for the first time on the holiday we purchased lunch –street sandwiches, kebabs which are simple but yummy.

Then a quick visit to the Astra Bazaar which is much closer and has better prices than the Grand Bazaar. Final money spend on Turkish Delight to take back home.

Julianne spent the afternoon pulling everything out of all the packs, suitcases and bags to repack for our trip back to New Zealand tomorrow while Grandma made the decision for the boys, myself and her to visit the Topkapi Palace which is somewhere Grandma has been keen to visit once she found out about it. Also as Coskin house, where we are staying backs onto the palace wall it is only a couple of minutes’ walk away. So we can stay at the Topkapi Palace until we are tired and go directly home quick as a flash.

Topkapi Palace was the home of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire and is huge with four courtyards and of course a very large haram where all the girls and his family lived. I have seen it before, and it was interesting to see it again, I was getting a bad headache near the end of the visit which made it hard. I enjoyed looking at all the medieval weapons which is of course not a surprise through Grandma was not so keen for some reason.

Topkapi Palace.

But she was surprised to see a huge 86 carat diamond which is inside the Palace, and is the 5th largest diamond in the world. And of course a visit to the harem is always interesting through some of it was shut for renovations.

Grandma and a huge gold mirror inside the haram.  

Inside the haram of Topkapi Palace.

On getting back to Coskin House I found Julianne had done an amazing job packing and it looks like we are all set for going home. Tea tonight was Doy Doy, our favourite Istanbul Turkish restaurant and a decision of Julianne.

Tomorrow is a sad day, we head home, but all good things must come to an end.