It was a great pleasure to be invited on two of the tours Walks of Turkey offer and the photos only tell a portion of the wonderful two day events I experienced. I also learned a great deal about solo travel to exotic locations.
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| From the roof terrace in my hotel I had a view of everything. This day started hazy |
The covered colonnade surrounding the interior courtyard of the Blue Mosque
Before 9 am this popular site is less crowded but within an hours hundreds and hundreds of visitors flooded the interior
We were prepared with scarves to cover our hair (women) and plastic bags were handed out to put our shoes into. The entire interior was carpeted. Our guide told us that year ago fine carpets lined the floor, either from donations or gifts.
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Our guide Duygu, on day one was amazing and made all the difference. No question was off limits but the three (tourists) were respectful: Why are there only men working in the shops? |
Next stop: Hagia Sofia: Here it was not just the architecture but the history of the building that went back centuries.
From the second floor of the Hagia Sofia there were great views of the Blue Mosque
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| The lighting is very dim but adds to the atmosphere |
Part of a movie was filmed here and we debated if it was the Dan Brown adaption or a James Bond film. Either way how they got a speed boat in here is the question.
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| There was one other couple on this part of the tour. They were very friendly and did not mind a solo traveler at all. |
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| At the end of the visit you can stop for a beverage at the underground cafe. |
See part II for a review of the incredible food served during lunch! Without a ‘tour’ I would never have found the restaurant nor been able to order such a wonderful assortment of great treats.
I was the guest of Walks of Turkey for the full day tour but the opinions and photos are my own.
Mature Solo Travel 