Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar and Süleymaniye Mosque – the sightseeing continues on day three. It was a really hot day for all the sightseeing and we weren’t exactly alone but it was stunning anyway! V. and me spent more than three hours getting lost in the many courtyards and corridors of Topkapi Palace. We also visited the harem, which you have to pay extra for – which means there’s only a fifth of the people. It was a beautiful day and I discovered the Istanbul I expected but hadn’t found yet. Colourful, oriental, telling the story of the Sultans. I don’t know if a lot of tourists visit Süleymaniye Mosque but the views from up there are incredible. And I won’t forget the encounter with the women from Tripoli in the ladies’ bathroom when they removed their burka and gave me the biggest smile when they heard I had been to Lebanon the previous week.

After a long intense day, we were happy to spend the entire evening chilling on our rooftop terrace. With a good book and a beer, we stayed outside until the sun went down. Once it was too dark to read we had a pretty good view over a lively loud Turkish wedding, our neighbours roof dinner and you could even spot the Blue Mosque. Iyi geceler!

(little side comment: I apologise for the photos; they seem heavily over saturated on some screens… too tired to do anything about it now)