Bursa to Istanbul...... Last day on the bus

We left Bursa at 8am. A few stops to make before Istanbul.
We visit the Grand Mosque in Bursa and adjacent is the Cocoon Market. Today the market is full of shops selling silk ties and scarves. It was formerly the place where the silk producers would bring the big baskets of silk cocoons to this market by camel to be sold or traded.
The main gate is large and ornate. The size was to accommodate the camels carrying the silk cocoons.
The next stop is the Green Mosque and burial tomb of Sultan 11 Murat Camii.
The Mosque dates back to 1426 and has beautiful tile work in turquoise and dark blue which back then they described as green, hence the name .
The tomb of the sultan is surrounded by the tombs of his family members including his sons. In Ottoman times the sultan could be succeeded by any of his heirs so it was not unusual that the brothers turned on each other. Most of the sultans family we killed by their own relatives!
After lunch we go to Iznik , once famous for its tile making . Iznik was founded in 1000BC and named Nicaea.
In 325AD the first ecumenical council met here and produced the Nicene Creed outlining the principles of Christianity.
After a quick walk around the mosque and the street, it's back on the bus and we are on our way to Istanbul. We have to take a ferry across the Sea of Marmara but we are still in Asia. In the 1999 Earthquake Turkey moved 4 metres to the North west. This ferry crossing takes us across the area that was the epicentre of the earthquake. The Arabic plate is moving the Anatolian plate under the Macedonian plate.
The drive to Istanbul took over 2 hours because of the traffic. By the time we got onto the bridge to cross the Bosphorus back into Europe everyone was pretty keen to get to the hotel. Tonight is our farewell dinner.
With 45 minutes to freshen up, it's back on the bus and we head back across to the old town to the restaurant. It's so busy with cars and taxis and people.
Our dinner is t a fish restaurant. It's very crowded and noisy but its fun. The meal is cold starters of mackerel , egg plant, salad, beans, vegetables and dolma des . Next course is a cheese roll ( like a spring roll) called a cigar, and a fish ball ( fish pattie) . Main course is a whole fish! It was a bit creepy on e plate as it till had its eyes and fins but it tasted very nice. Glenn was so proud that he got most of he flesh and just left the skeleton. This was followed by fruit and Tahini and apple tea.
As if it is not noisy enough, 3 violinists, and a Steele guitar and bongo player start playing. I'm not sure that they were playing the same song a the same time but they thought it was good enough to pass around a plate for tips.
Dinner over its back to the bus. We walk out into the street and it is crazy, people, noise, hawkers, it's all happening.
The drive back to the hotel shows Istanbul at night. it is beautiful. The mosques and minarets are lit up and sparkle on the skyline. Back at the hotel it's time for goodbyes. Some people are staying on for a few more days and some are heading straight back to their real lives.
We are off to Singapore this afternoon. No early morning call!
Turkey is a beautiful and interesting country. The people are friendly. It's not cheap as it may have been once, they are developing very quickly and in some places we were paying about the same as we would at home for things.
We have loved it.