Sunday 12 October

Late up – 10.30 – down to Hilton for paper, short and drove around town before lunch at the flat – again a superb meal and nearly put a stop to the afternoon sightseeing. We eventually eased ourselves out of the chains and set off to the old part of Istanbul to see the Blue Mosque during a call to prayers. This building was built about 1850 and is renown for the beautifully designed blue tiled ceiling. On to St. Sophia (now a museum but originally a Christian Church, then a Muslim shrine) with its partly exposed mosaics. 

Unfortunately we were only left half an hour to see the Topkapi Museum/Palace, so we had to content ourselves with an 85 carat diamond and a 3.25 kilo emerald plus old sultan dresses, swords and jewels. Back to a dinner of meat balls, 5 vegetables including spaghetti – true Turkish and great. Sat up late talking and drinking, plus sorting out various offers from BP including visas, gas, etc.