Istanbul - Simpson Prize 2015
Day 1 - Istanbul
After flying in from every capital city in Australia we met in Sydney for the long journey to Turkey. After changing flights in Singapore, we arrived safely in Istanbul in the morning to a find a perfect sunny spring day. After checking in to our hotel we left for lunch, then visited the Spice Bazaar before enjoying a cruise on the Bosphorus from where we viewed the mosques, forts, palaces and historic timber homes. We also spotted several pods of dolphins:
Group shot of 2015 Simpson Prize winners in Istanbul.
From the boat we had glimpsed the Asian side of Istanbul and viewed the Golden Horn. After this our group then returned to our hotel to enjoy a three course dinner and reminisce about our day.
By Daniel Nguyen (South Australia)
Day 2 - Istanbul
Following a very welcomed sleep in, we began the descent along the streets of Istanbul. As we approached our destination, the Hagia Sophia, and admired it's grandeur; our guide, Eser, delved into a brief history of Istanbul regarding its heritage and origin. In hearing this I discovered the progression of Turkey through each of its stages particularly with the introductions of new religions. In fact I discovered that the Turks themselves were just one of the countless groups which invaded Turkey. Soon after entering the Hagia Sophia we were overwhelmed by its immense size and beauty. Its size was particularly emphasised when we were told that New York's Statue of Liberty could fit under the dome. Just like the Hagia Sophia delved further into history with each of it's layers so did the underground cisterns which we explored after lunch. We then headed for the Grand Bazaar - streets overflowing with jewellery and other exotic items.
Max Claessens (Australian Capital Territory)
2015 Simpson Prize winners in Istanbul.
Day 3 - Istanbul
The perfect sunshine that greeted us for our first two days in Istanbul had abandoned us as on day three of out trip as an icy wind blew in off the sea of Mamara. Today we toured Topkapi Palace, which was the main residence of the Ottoman Sultans for over 400 years. We then walked across to the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome. Tomorrow, we have an early start for the bus trip to Gallipoli:
After having breakfast in the hotel we walked down to the Sultan's palace at Topkapi. From the outside, the palace was very intimidating, sitting opposite to the Blue Mosque; an absolutely beautiful piece of architecture. After having lunch at the cafe at the Sultan's palace overlooking the Bosphurous straight, we went to the Blue Mosque (officially named Sultanahmet Mosque) and had a look around. Being in the mosque that was actively being used by locals to pray in gave a unique taste of the culture. For dinner we went to a local restaurant which specialized in meats which Eser, our tour guide, believes it to be the best meat restaurant in Istanbul. I was quick to agree after the meal.
Adam Dimsey (Tasmania)