It's been a few weeks since I actually went, but at the end of my time in Bulgaria a few of us took a weekend trip to Istanbul, Turkey. It was about an 8 hour bus ride there, but it was totally worth it! It was interesting too because we had to drive across the Turkish border which is an experience in itself... for example, I learned that taking a picture of a sign that says "Turkiye" at the Turkish border is a huge no-no. I also wasn't really thinking straight either as it was 3am when we were crossing and had to show our passports etc. I felt like I was in a spy movie!
We were only in Istanbul for about a day and a half, but we saw most of the main attractions. So, as you can imagine, our day and a half was jam packed with adventure.
We started bright and early and went to the beautiful Blue Mosque. One of the most famous known for its gorgeous blue tiles that decorate the interior. It was the first time I had ever been into a mosque, and it was incredible. The inside was huge and vaulted, supported by 4 enormous columns the guide referenced as the "elephant legs" because... that's what they looked like. I had to remove my shoes and wear a shawl and wrap skirt they provided... even though I was just dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.
After that we saw the Hagia Sofia (or as they say Aya Sofya). We didn't get to go inside, but it was fantastic to see from the outside...it's one of the most magnificent pieces of architecture in the world (according to my guide book) and is over 1,400 years old!
Then we roamed the streets a little bit, and as my friend and I were looking at purchasing protective Evil Eyes from a street vendor, we both got hit by a car! Obviously we weren't really hurt...I did get a scrape on my knee, but the guy didn't stop and he totally looked at us as he proceeded to hit us with his car! My family thought this was extremely funny mostly becuase I wasn't hurt. Still...an interesting experience to add to my list of adventures.
Anyway that's only about half the day, but I'll write about the other half later!
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