A little outing today up to the Topkapi Palace, which is closed so I end up by the Basilla Cistern – no queues so I will have a look in there.

It’s cavernous. This huge underground cathedral with its hundreds of columns and brick roof is filled with water a couple of feet deep. The suspended walkway goes through the columns and covers all the nooks and crannies.

It’s a late start, as I didn’t get to bed that early, just couldn’t sleep. Under no pressure I head down to the fish market. Must explain how the markets and areas work. In fact it’s the same in most of the Muslim countries. Where they talk about a souk or bazaar, it’s where those items are sold. Like the spice bazaar in Istanbul where all the stalls and shops primarily sell spices, all competing with one another – same as the Gold Souk in Dubai.

Typical tourist waiting in reception for the tour to commence. This is made up of two half day tours with the morning being a tour up the Bosporus stopping half way and a mini bus back to town.

It’s Sunday and everywhere is packed. Even the short walk around the new mosque with its disgusting pigeons seems tedious. It’s just to kill the time until the ferry departs at 10.30.

The light is just a feint orange glow rising over the Asian side of Istanbul. The orangey flow is reflecting slightly in the Bosporus – so the river looks golden.

Today I have witnessed some amazing respect from a young lad about seven who ran up to a middle age man and grabbed his hand, kissed it and raised it to his forehead.

My view from the room overlooks the northern part of the Bosporus and the Bosporus Bridge. It’s quite an engineering feat as huge ocean going tankers are moving effortlessly at quite a speed up and down from the Black Sea. Across the water is Asia – seems odd that you can stand in one continent and gaze upon another.

Probably from Chigwell, but the torment has started. There is always someone on the travel that you hope won’t be on the plane, in your hotel or the transit vehicles.

Moaning that they have already been through one lot of security checks and cannot see the sense of this additional one.