Arriving in a new City

Riding into a new city is always exciting and Istanbul was no exception
We had been advised to arrive between 10 am and 4 pm otherwise the traffic would be horrendous, I guess when you look at the city it is a bit like Vancouver, its on the water and has many bridges so that means traffic backlogs but the difference is here, when riding a bike it means you can filter and weave even use the pavement from time to time and the more we ride the better we are getting at it.
I might find it difficult not to do this when I get home!!

Our first night out in a new city is always fun. We get a map and wander around getting familiar with the area and seeing the new sights We quickly learn about the public transport system and hunt out places to eat (that one is always budget driven) How much is a beer ? or a coffee?

On the street the smells are inviting, from the man selling some type of herb tea with milk and honey to the Kebab stands on every corner. There are even people selling the good old roasted chestnut which we tried and quickly decided we did not like.Then there is the noise each city has a different sound it is like a heart beat it is always there in the background the car horns the scooters the bell of the transit rail car and of course the one in Istanbul is the call to Prayer. YEP it starts at 5.30 am so better make sure the hotel we book into is not too close to the Mosque.