a day in istanbul...

... and I got...

... a peek of their streets...


The roads - always full of cars.


The trams - always coming and going, with people packed in them like sardines.


The parks and squares where people gather at all times of the day.

... a taste of their national drinks...


Sweet tea - plain, apple, rose, cinnamon; you name it, you have it. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, locals and foreigners alike, drinks TEA everywhere!!!


Turkish coffee to wake up you with its bitter grainy coffee powder taste or pomegranate / orange juice for a dose of extreme sourness to perk you up.


Too bitter or too sour? There's plenty of sugar cubes to go around.

... a glimpse of their religious devoutness...


A place for performing the Wudu (the act of cleaning oneself with water in preparation for a prayer) before entering the mosque proper.


Sultanahmet Mosque (more popularly known as the Blue Mosque) seen from both the inside and outside.


Facing the Qiblah.

... to behold the awe of their ancient yet majestic architecture...


Both inside and outside the Sultanahmet Mosque.


Ruins within the Topkapi Palace.


A run-down toilet in a once magnificent palace.


A ceiling with gold trimmings vs one of simple stone.

... to cross paths with other visitors from foreign lands...


The shuffling of feet everywhere; tourists rushing to cover as much ground as possible within the stipulated time frame in the itinerary, sometimes they step onto areas not meant to be accessed.


A bunch of local students on a school excursion has the same curiosity as a foreign tourist.


A travelling photographer beholding his fellow tourists visiting the Haghia Sophia.

... to immerse in the locals' way of life...


A romantic afternoon for these lovebirds by the Baths of Roxelana.


The friendliest barista I have ever met preparing my Turkish coffee.


Morning peak hour rush - some make urgent business calls, some read the paper at a leisurely pace.


Most would go to extreme heights to restore their faith.


Feeding oneself by feeding the birds around.


A pigeon lady's life can be very colourful too.

...and of course, not to mention, my silent exchanges with the furry residents of the city.

Istanbul is a city to love, be loved and to fall in love in.