Istanbul with Neil and Christine - Day 3&4

Day 3 started out promisingly with blue skies and warm weather. We decided to head to the Dolmabache Palace which was built between 1843-1856 and housed the final 6 sultans from 1856 up until the abolishment of the Caliphate in 1924. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding leader of the modern Turkish republic, used the palace as a presidential house in summers and died there on 10 November 1938.

Outside the Palace and the changing of the guard

Ataturk's bedroom (the Turkish flag bedspread was added later!) & an ingenious way of hiding the bar!

The amazing chandeliers & Ben with the slippers that we had to wear throughout the palace!

A very ornate bathroom and state room

It was very different to the Topkapi Palace as it was designed in western style with elements of Baroque, Rococo and Neo-Classical style. This palace would easily have fit in in France or England and was very much a mix of French design furniture and English Victorian period door-knobs and chandeliers. It was quite revolting at times! We visited the state apartments where official business was held and the Harem. It certainly wasn't as interesting as the Topkapi Palace and has we had to do a guided tour was a lot quicker. The best thing about the palace was the location with wonderful views of the Bosphorous.

By the time we came out and were ready for lunch there was a large black cloud over us. Thankfully despite the wind picking up, thunder and lightning, and a few spots of rain the storm blew over very quickly. We then walked to the Golden Horn and did a ferry cruise up the Bosphorous which was interesting to see the palace from the river and all the residential houses on the European and Asian sides of Turkey.



The bridge linking the European and Asian continents

We were all then exhausted so it was time to head back to the hotel for a rest before dinner.

Day 4 saw Neil and Christine head off for Paris while we occupied ourselves before our late afternoon flight by going to Taksim Square then walking down the long shopping street to Galata Tower which has lovely views over Istanbul. From here you can look over the Golden Horn to the Topkapi Palace, Aya Sofia and Blue Mosque and also over the Bosphorous to the Asian side.