Then I moved into the Hotel Poem. The friendly staff were solicitous about my eyelid injury. Ah, my own room and bath, what luxury. I had a view overlooking the Sea of Marmara. There the noise was from the traffic on Kennedy Caddesi, which runs along the shore, and ship horns.
I caught the metro, to experience the ride, to Aksaray, then a dolmuş across the Atatürk Bridge spanning the Golden Horn. I had a look at the facade of the historic Pera Palas (where passengers from the Orient Express stayed), and finally ended up on Istiklal Caddesi, the famous shopping and entertainment pedestrian street in the Beyoğlu district. I hopped off the dolmuş near the British Council and found a place serving a tasty prix fixe lunch of Kadinbudu Köfte (Lady's Thighs Köfte), garnish and rice. A little later, still feeling peckish, I had a stick of fried mussels from a vendor. I posted off all the remaining postcards, and bought some apricots and cherries.
I returned to Sultanahmet via the Tünel, a short underground railway line, which took me downhill to Karakoy, within striking distance of Eminönü via the Galata bridge. The day had started off overcast but now it was sunny and steamy.
In the evening I returned to the Karadeniz, where the old waiter welcomed me. I accepted his suggestion of a Beyti kebap. I wasn't sure what it was but I was sure that it would be good, and it indeed was. I felt that I knew every corner of Sultanahmet now. I was not sorry to be leaving, but I just wanted to be sure that I had not missed some experience, as it might be a long time before I visit again, if at all. Who knows what Turkey will be like by then, perhaps it might even be in the EU.
I took my cherries to the sound and light show. It was a bit disappointing because of the poor sound, but I received a printed copy of the script. I had a nightcap of a glass of wine opposite the 4 Seasons Hotel. I noted that the area was starting to get lousy with tourists, especially USAns. Time to get out.
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