This morning I was going to visit some of Istanbul's Christian heritage. They city is well known for its mosques but there is a Byzantine Christian heritage that predates it. Since I'd been visiting Mosques across the Balkans visiting churches in Istanbul will bring balance of how the two faiths have lived togetherI had planned on visiting in 2007 but I wasted a day going back and forth to a camera shop trying to fix my camera when he kept telling me to come back...

Back in my hotel I'd fallen asleep for about two hours as I'd been up early the last two days. It was now after 3pm and I wanted to go out and do something even though most places are shut. I didn't come all the way to Istanbul after so many years just to sit in my hotel on a holidayI wanted to eat but instead of donars for 2TL outside my hotel I remember seeing fish donars on a travel show so wanted to try that. I also wanted to find out the boat times and price...

At Aksaray Metro I decided to take the train back to the bus station as we arrived at the wrong side yesterday and I wanted to see all the destination signs back to the places in the Balkans I had just visited.Metro fare was 3TL ($1.50) and it was a few stops to the Otogar bus terminal metro station. I remember in 2007 seeing signs for Kosovo and Bulgaria so wanted to find them again.They had Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Serbia. There is even a bus no...

This morning was the Islamic religious holiday of Eid (Bajram). I knew it was going to hit this week so I was worried about the buses from Bulgaria being sold out. Also I expected it to be Wednesday which is when it is being celebrated in Canada but I was told it would be on Tuesday.I asked when the prayer would be and was told 5am which seemed very odd before even the morning prayer call at sunrise. Everywhere else does it from 7.30am onwards. I've never been in...