It’s the second time I go to Istanbul. This time (November) it’s colder ad less populated. Yes, you heard me right, the middle of the tourist quarter – Sultanahmet – looked just like a set for a deserted village. This is even more strange if you take into consideration that Istanbul is a 12.5 million inhabitants city. But don’t take my word for it, here are images shot on a Tuesday, around noon:
Wandering around in the people-free area, I found this mosaic-house, which I thought deserved being featured here:
The goal of this stroll was to find a place to eat. I did follow the receptionist’s advice and went to Magnaura Cafe (and Restaurant). Food was nice, tea was warm, cocktails were cool! I do think however that they overdid a bit the flambee part:
If you like Istanbul more than I do, visit again, for the next post will be much more laudatory 🙂 To ensure that you don’t miss it, I strongly suggest using the RSS or the email.
Also, please advise if this area is the ‘gay area’ in Istanbul, because the only women I saw in the bars were (just like us) foreigners. All the Turkish “pairs” I encountered were male-male. None of them were holding hands or anything BUT none of them had girls….
My Journey into the World 
The reason you have not seen women is that in islamic culture it is unworthy of women to show themselves in such places (restaurants, bars, coffee shops etc.). The habit of holding hands in public is not culturally accepted (you will see it a lot in more “modern” areas or among foreigners), not to mention kissing a woman in public (even on the cheek). I also doubt you will see many gay people in islamic countries on the streets (they may have some “red” area in the city, all major cities do, but in islamic countries even the red area is very well hidden; Turkey is one of the most progresive islamic country, though, there are a lot more restrictions in the other countries).
I also have to say that the 2 pictures with old houses in the heart of Sultanahmet are gorgeous!
Thank you both for the clarification ( which coincides with our good friend Markus’ ) and for positively appreciating the pics of those ruins 🙂
last one is absolutely amazing…
there is something special about it…
romantic in a way…
THANK YOU!
Salutare. Am intrat pe pagina ta si am vazut ca e
foarte bine pusa la punct si prezinta informatii importante.
Permite-mi sa propun si eu despre un magazin pe internet cu lucruri foarte ieftine:
aliexpress pareri. Cred ca aiaflat deja de el. Multumesc.