Fish Supper

Turkish Airlines whisked me back to Istanbul very efficiently this morning. Their flight to Edinburgh leaves about the same time as their Tbilisi one arrives, so, sad to say, I have had to face up to another overnight stop in Istanbul.

I am trying to make the most of it. Certainly, I did at lunchtime. Köfte in a sauce with vegetables and potatoes. Rice. Salad. Ayran. 

I also had a good blether with Doǧan - the guesthouse owner - whom I have known for 10-15 years. He had a trip to Tbilisi earlier this year, which made him curious about my impressions. Then inevitably, the discussion turned to politics. Ah well. 

In the early evening I took my usual wander down to the Bosphorus. It is still Ramadan, so that time has a special buzz as the religious gather in parks for big family picnics as soon as the announcement comes from the mosque.

A whiff of fish on the grill grabbed my attention, and my “dinner” turned out to be 100% authentic street food - balık ekmek. Really delicious. I can still smell it on me after standing close to the grill. 

fish supper

Blip? Extras? Hmmm…

The Blip is a vapur heading off for Üsküdar on the Asian side. It kind of symbolised my holiday disappearing into the sunset. One Extra is Aya Sofya (or Haghia Sofia) in the background with the Four Seasons Hotel in front. The other is moonlight over the Bosphorus.