Hi everybody, sorry it has been almost three weeks since our last post. As you can tell if you have been following our social media, we have been really busy. We are now on the Mediterranean Island, Malta and we have lots to write about. This post is about our layover in Istanbul where we got to stay in a 5 Star Hotel. Take a look at the photos and see for yourself this beautiful city.
As you all know we were living in Buenos Aires, Argentina and decided it was time to move to a warmer climate. We chose the Mediterranean Island of Malta and so far we are loving it.
Before we start posting about the Island however, here is a short post about our 20 hour layover in Istanbul, the capital of Turkey.
Waiting to fly from Argentina to Turkey
After a 12 hour flight from Argentina we finally reached Turkey at 11 pm, tired and exhausted from our 12 hour flight. We flew with Turkish Airlines and they could not have been better: great food, service and also very helpful.
On our way to Turkey we opened our window shade to this view. We found ourselves flying high over the Sahara, it is such an incredible place, just do not get lost …
When we landed we made our way to the Turkish Airlines desk, we told them that we had a 20 hour connection. Immediately we were told to wait and we will be taken to a hotel.
It wasn’t long before we was whisked off into the night without a clue of where we were going. We had asked to be close to the old city where all of the main tourist attractions are, we were assured we would be. However, an Israeli couple in front of us had been assured that they were close to the airport.
It turned out that we were halfway between both, 10 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes from the city. The best of all however, was that we would be staying in a 5 Star Hotel for free.
The hotel was beautiful and the beds were incredibly soft. When we woke up in the morning, we went down to an incredible breakfast. There were meats, breads, cereal, fruit, yogurts and cheese, plus much more.
The comfiest beds that we have ever slept in
After gorging ourselves on the delicious free food, we regrettably headed out of the hotel to explore the old city. We had three hours to see as much as we could. Here are just a few of the photos from our layover in Istanbul, Turkey.
Photos from our layover in Istanbul
The mesmerising Blue Mosque of Istanbul: an architectural wonder of the city
We could be in Northern Europe posing before one of the castles of Germany or France, but no we are in Istanbul. This city is full of surprises.
Silvana capturing one of the many beautiful minorities in the city
Another of the incredible wonders of the city, Hagia Sophia. This wonder was once a Church, then a Mosque and now today it is one Istanbul’s most visited tourist attractions. Hagia Sophia is a must see when visiting Istanbul
The Tea shops in Istanbul are an incredible display of colour and taste. We came out with 20 Euros worth of different blends. If you are a tea lover, this is the city for you.
As you can see, there is an endless variety of tea. From Pomegranate to Jasmin and Ginger to Love Tea, there is a tipple for every taste here in Istanbul.
Silvana trying to decide which tea she would like. After a long and arduous decision she decided on Love tea and Jasmine tea.
The Arabic languages are so beautiful to look at
With all of the craziness that you see on the news nowadays, you would think that we would not be allowed to enter a Mosque. Far from it, we were welcomed with open arms.
Silvana covering up before we entered into the Mosque
The inside of the Mosque was beautiful to behold.
A Muslim man praying at the Mosque
It was soon time to leave this incredible place and catch our Turkish Airlines flight to our final destination, Malta. We loved Istanbul and highly recommend it, we just wish that we had more time to explore. One day we will definitely return to this mystical place.
Flying over the Greek mainland heading to the Mediterranean Island of Malta
Watch out for our upcoming articles
So there you have have, a small glimpse of our layover in Istanbul. Soon we will be posting articles all about this paradise that is Malta, keep an eye out over the next few days for our post on Popeye’s Village.
Also Dave has recently become a writer for Goats On The Road, one of the major travel blogs out there. So if you are already a follower of them, watch out for our posts.
Thanks for reading and we hope that you are all having an awesome day, wherever it is in the world that you are.
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