The Galata Tower over Karakoy, Istanbul. Photos: TNS
As we land over the Sea of Marmara, a grey drizzle bathes the view of huddled ships waiting their turn to cross the Bosphorus Strait, the turquoise waterway that runs through the city, separating its European and Asian sides.
The misty sea views continue along the coastal route to the historic Sultanahmet district and the restored Ottoman mansion-turned-hotel where I stay my first three nights, steps from the world-famous Blue Mosque and its six minarets, an impressive sight day and night.
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