The next morning I got up with the sun (less impressive when you realize that it rose at about 8 but I never met a literary phrase I wouldn’t employ) to maximize my last day. My plan was to hit up a few last places on the European side then venture over to the Asian side and see what was there.
Today there was no line at Galata Tower (hooray!) so I headed up for the views. I wasn’t here in time for Sunset but hey, you can’t beat em can you?
I’m typically “blessed” with terrible weather on my trips so the second in a row lovely day thrilled me to no end.
I hadn’t hit the New Mosque the day before so I rode the Light Rail back across the bridge to visit it. I’d like to mention that as someone whose curse is picking the wrong exit from transit systems it was really nice to be in Istanbul where it’s signed so well even I went the right way. Unfortunately, the New Mosque is currently being remodeled inside and the construction has placed temporary ceilings at about ten feet so it wasn’t worth seeing. Oh well, off to the Asia side.
I wasn’t going to have time for the standard Bosporus Cruise but a ferry ride would at least give me a taste of that fun.
Not sure I should be reading this book on a boat though.
Once across I hopped on a bus that took me to my first stop: Karacaahmet Cemetery.
I had a nice walk here in the shade among the many graves. I enjoy urban cemeteries from an archeological and a historical prospective so I always try to see them when traveling in big cities.
My next stop was Beylerbeyi Park which is right next to Beylerbeyi Palace. It gave me excellent views of the European side and also the fun feeling that I was standing in one continent looking at another.
I was also on hand to witness a high level talk designed to ease the species tensions.
I had wanted to visit Beylerberi Palace but it was annoyingly closed for renovations (something of an accidental theme on this trip) so I contented myself with a walk around its grounds.
Another bus ride took me up to the Anatolian Fortress, a 14th Century Fortress positioned at the narrowest part of the Bosporus.
But more importantly it took me near some restaurants for a much needed lunch.
After all the red meat, seafood was a nice change of pace. It did end up being a little complicated though as not many people seem to speak English on the Asian side so the waiter and I pantomimed our way through ordering but it all worked out.
After I got back to my hotel (thanks to a cheap and comfortable Uber) I checked out of my room (the latest check out they’d give me was 3 PM) and headed to the Pera Palace Hotel for dessert and coffee while I finished my book.
The hotel not only has a lovely brasserie but they have a lot of history inside their gorgeous walls, legend has it Agatha Christie wrote “Murder on the Orient Express” here. With that ending my trip on a sweet note, I headed back to the IC ride and one white knuckled cab ride later, I was back at IST.
TK 1843 IST-ATH 2020-2045 A-321
IST is a pain now to use if you’re starting here. The near curb is blocked off (and to get to it you go through a vehicle checkpoint) and there’s now a security checkpoint with metal detectors just inside the doors, before you can even check in. Thankfully I had made sure to arrive with plenty of time.
Inside was absolute chaos too as there were too few Turkish employees on hand to deal with all the passengers. Thankfully neither passport control nor the second security checkpoint took too much time and I could blissfully find refuge in the lounge.
I do like being in big international airports and seeing all the different destinations one can fly to. If any picture could capture wanderlust, it’s one like this.
Ahh, don’t mind if I do. I’m probably the only FTer who isn’t Star Gold but thankfully my United Club membership gets me into Star lounges when I’m flying Star.
I’d always wanted to stop in here and I admit to being a little overwhelmed at first. The lounge was a massive, sprawling place that was unfortunately a little crowded. I decided to drop my bags at the first seat I found and then walk around.
I quickly found that food wasn’t in a centralized area but that there were numerous stands throughout the lounge where it could be found.
The Turkish flat bread station was my favorite.
Liquor was a little worse than I was expecting (JW Red? For shame!) but when it came to soft drinks they really exceled. Bitter Lemon for the win!
I was eventually able to put together a decent dinner which is a ringing endorsement for a lounge. Overall though I was less impressed than I’d expected to be. I couldn’t find an outlet for one. For another no one told me how the wifi worked
Eventually I realized you had to scan your BP at a kiosk which spit you out a code. Still, at this crowded an airport it absolutely beat the gate so I wasn’t complaining too much.
Especially when I got to my gate. Which was of course followed by a horrible free for all boarding and then a crowded bus ride because Europe.
That man’s face is all of us.
I’m super jealous, my brother’s initials are in that registration, that never happens to me and I actually track the various tail numbers I fly!
Rear air stair boarding? Don’t mind if I do!
When I got to my seat I found a woman in it pretending to be asleep. I announced I had 16A and she gave me a glare that would melt paint and then moved over to the middle seat. Nice try though.
Goodbye and thank you, Istanbul! You were a delight.
We got a meal! This flight is 335 miles, the equivalent of LAX-SFO, so I was very surprised and delighted.
We also got in on time which I much appreciated as I was very tired and had an early wake up the next day.
Athens
I decided to experiment with Uber which meant having to meet my driver inside the short term parking lot in the rain (which was not much fun) but it did mean a 29 Euro ride downtown and as ATH is quite far from Athens itself, that part I liked.
Unlike the IC Istanbul, the IC Athens is a very modern hotel, something I rarely find at ICs. Sadly, the service here was not on the same level as it had been in Istanbul. At the IC Istanbul they didn’t ask if I wanted help with my bags, they immediately took them. At this hotel I was asked and it was in a tone where it was clear they’d prefer me to say no. On the plus sides I was told my room had been upgraded from Superior to Deluxe (whatever that means) and I got a late check out.
I was impressed by the local bath products though. They made a nice change from the standard IC stuff.