Anonymous

We returned today to Balat, where we had been earlier in the week.  On our first visit we walked from the bus stop to the particular part of town we wanted to see, but felt that we were missing a lot on the way.  Our return visit was therefore to look at some of the areas we had simply passed through last time.

It proved to be a particularly religious area and there were noticeably more women fully covered than we had seen before.  It became clear that photographs of women or men were definitely not as welcome here -  the first time since we arrived in Istanbul that we have had any hostility to our cameras.  Naturally we respected their wishes and moved on to the area nearer the river where we had been before and where we were made much more welcome.

An interesting experience, particularly as we had received no such hostility in the mosques in Eyup or the centre of the city.