Sweeny Todd, concubines and call to prayer

First stop of the day was to a barbers for Philly, to be fair he was looking a little like a caveman. I sat outside the barbers shops on a footstool looking like a garden gnome waiting for the person before to be done. There is something quite intriguing about barber shops for women, an unknown place. As I sat in on the seat and marvelled at the very old pictures of the barber in the 60's and various photo's of lathered up men, Phil had his hair cut and a cut throat razor on his neck. All I kept thinking of was Sweeny Todd. I kept this to myself until after. The weirdest but was when the barber took a flame to Phil's ears. Luckily he still has them.

Then off to Topkaki palace and we donned yet another audio guide. We waited for a good 30 minutes to get into the teasury and I'm sure some people would love to see the gifts and jewells but to me they were shiny pots...and Phil and I don't do pots, even jewlled ones.

The sacred islamic arts was crowd as we shuffled through, with the signs at hip level so we couldn't actually see what it was we were looking at. Without a doubt the best bit was the Harem, where 300-500 concubines lived. The decoration was spectacular, and the stories of princes murdering each other as they were next in line to the throne.

Lunch on a roof terrace looking at the bosporus, Phil crisped while I sat in the shade getting burnt anyway. Lunch tasted liked something the numerous cats around would have delivered...slightly unpleasant. Lessons learned, mezze is different in every place.

We walked along the sea front, by a dual carriage way, past the many fisherman and the curious balloons on washing lines. Later we found the shot gun in front of them. Some fun game I guess. Over a foot bridge and then walking along a motorway back to Sultanahmet...up a very steep hill. There has been a theme this trip.

We found the hippodrome, where chariot races were helpl, back to the Blue mosque and then on the roof terrace before dinner. We went back to the Blue Mosque before prayer time and it was deserted, only people there to pray. It was heaven, no tourists. We sat on the carpet and marvelled at the changing colours of the roof as the sun went down. Then we were kicked out for the actual prayers so we sat watching people arrive as they were called to prayer on the loud speakers. Mezze while watching whirling dervish, then to bed.