Today Helena and I set off to see a few sights, including the "Blue" Mosque - so named because it is beautifully decorated with blue-patterned tiles all over the interior. Eighty percent of the Turkish population is Muslim but is very low-key outside of the mosques which dot the city. We see a range of women's coverings from just head scarf (with western clothes) to the full burkha, but probably 50% of Turkish women just dress in regular European fashion. Helena and I tend to blend in with our dark hair and light eyes, and this is a relief after being standouts in Sri Lanka (and for Helena, her last 6 months in India).
In addition to the Blue Mosque, we took in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, and a small portion of the famous grand bazaar, walking for nearly 7 hours in total. It was a relief to be back at flat, where we could have a cup of tea. Having eaten a late lunch at a grill restaurant in the bazaar, Helena just whipped up a lovely salad of our finds from the vegetable market, topped with exquisite Turkish extra virgin olive oil.
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