Istanbul had been on my top travel list for years, but somehow I never made it there. On my way to Macedonia right after finding out I was >>pregnant<< almost two years ago, I actually had a >>10 hour stopover<< there, but hey, I definately had other things in mind that day, and couldn't enjoy the city that much, plus it was only a few hours in a rush.

This year we took Turkish Airlines to and from >>Oman<< and both times had a stopover in Istanbul (plus a really annoying extra stop in Bahrain we didn't know about...). On the way back we made our Istanbul stopover four days long, because it just seemed so damn convenient.

My dear friend and co-photographer Rosie, mini-me and I rented ourselves a beautiful and charming apartment up the hill in Beyoğlu in a little alleyway, with a balcony and life music at night. We ate great food and did quite a bit of sightseeing for my standards (as in Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Spice Market and a ferry ride to the Bosphorus Bridge) - and even though I usually neglect all kinds of classical tourist stuff, Istanbul was just so nice that even the touristy stuff was beautiful and very fun!

The rest of the time I mostly strolled around with mini-me either tied to my back or in the push chair (which is quite a task in Istanbul), exploring the every day life and just breathing after that crazy week in Oman. I was so tired and exhausted that most nights I fell asleep while taking mini-me to bed around 7 or 8pm and didn't wake up until the next morning.

If you happen to come here and are looking for a lovely apartment and some amazing hosts, we can warmly recommend >>Evrim and Aydin<< to you.






















All photos: Carolin Weinkopf