Juniper
After our lunch at Mira Port, Istanbul on day 5 of the ikhlas.com tour to Turkey, it was time to visit Topkapi Palace but I think everyone was more excited to visit the Grand Bazaar after afternoon prayers at the famous Hagia Sophia (non-Muslims are not permitted to visit Hagia Sophia during prayer times). The bus stopped some distance away from Topkapi as it was too big to go any nearer (the street leading up to the palace is rather narrow). We alighted and trudged up a steep street which fortunately was just a few minutes walk to Topkapi.
Topkapi dates from the 15th century so it looks like a mediaeval dwelling for royals. I have always wanted to visit Topkapi having read so much about it but alas, it is closed on Tuesdays and Tuesday was the day we happened to be there. I really wanted so much to enter and have a look at the museum which surely exhibits some of the greatest artifacts of the Ottomans. We could only saunter around the outer perimeters, much to my disappointment.
