Another cold day in Istanbul, we hear that it's warmer back in sunny Wales. We head to the hotel terrace which overlooks the Bosphorus Sea and looks into Asia. the terrace is glass covered but everyone is wearing coats for breakfast. We now have to find accomadation more suited to our budget and so get on the net whilst filling up on coffee and omelettes. We check out and do what we do best, head in the wrong direction, then realise we're lost so hook up the internet, get directions and get lost again. We spend 2.5 hours walking round this wonderful city.It wouldnt be so bad but lugging the case is a pain. It's been renamed Henry the Vac as it really is like pulling a reluctant vacuum cleaner behind you. Eventually after buying a map we find the new place in rundown town. Turns out it was a 10 minute walk from the more upmarket gaff. We ditch the gear and head back to the city square.

There's more culture here than you can shake a beggar beating stick with. Once the capital of the Byzantine Empire, the buildings are stunning. There are beggars here but nothing like we saw in Greece. One such lady approaches us whilst we're dining in Abdullah's. She's wearing good quality ethnic clothing and as I point out to her -"Mrs, you've got more gold in your teeth than I've got fillings". (and that's a lot by the way). Abdullah sees Mrs. lady harassing his customers and with an authoritave click of the fingers, she's off at a rate of knots up the street.

We then head out and take in more of the sights and find the Grand Bazaar and very grand it is too, it's simply huge and I dont think we've ever seen anything quite like it before. It's probably a bit more busy than normal as the Istanbul jewellry Fair is in full swing. It's a traders paradise and I momentarily wonder how much I could get for Grant, but notice he's eyeing me up similarlly. Pound for Pound, I think Grant would have had a better deal.

As we walk back to rundown town, the call for prayer starts. In this town there are lots of mosques and so therefore the call echoes around this city. Just as the call to prayer is ending, we find a British themed boozer called the Port shield and so answer the call to prayer. It's tastefully done in there and we knew it would be a rip off, but felt we had to pay it a visit.