Blogging from ... Istanbul...

I wouldn't say quite love at first sight but Istanbul is definitely somewhere that has my eye. The history, the architecture, the magnificent old markets, the smell of roasting chestnuts on the street, the chaos and the people all make it interesting and quite extraordinary. Last night I even considered ditching the overland route back home and just hiring a car and exploring Turkey, then flying back. But no, business as planned.

The daughter seems happy here, if a little uncomfortable at times. She's getting far too much attention from everyone and has free gifts from strangers, offers of dining for free in restaurants and too many people pawing her and generally making her feel agitated. As an over protective dad I watch cautiously trying to work out the scam angle but so far it just seems like genuine friendliness. Still, the guard remains up.

Yesterday we walked and looked around Sultanamhet, the old town. The parks were full of families and so many young couples being very open about their courtship, which seems surprising in a Muslim country. We wandered around Hagai Sophia from the outside as there wasn't enough time to do it justice last night, that's on the cards for this morning after breakfast and ticket purchase at the train station.

We hit the famous Grand Bizarre as it was closing, a shoppers paradise. An undercover maze of shops and stalls with a very eastern feel the wife would have been in heaven there. After possibly the best Indian meal I've had (yeah I know, Indian food in Turkey but the daughter wanted nan bread so that was where we ended up) we managed to get completely lost. As light was fading we stumbled from street to street in vain and totally unaware that we were, in fact, walking in the opposite direction.

"Daddy, if we're lost will we have to sleep on the street?"She's a darling, she took it all well and seemed to think it was all good fun. "If I sleep on the street will I get squished by a car?" I assured her that we wouldn't be sleeping alfresco and daddy would eventually find the hotel for her, which he dutifully did.

Well, now time to go. The sun has arisen over the Bosphorus and the mouth to the Sea of Marmara whilst I was writing and breakfast is ready to be served so I must move from my little perch by the window and leave this fantastic view. I'll try and upload some pictures later but the connection is too slow at the moment and I haven't the time to sit and wait. Still not sure which country to hit next. Coming soon...

Blogging from ... Istanbul...