
After the first quick visit to the supermarket around the corner for some basics, I met up with Sven for a stroll through the area, notably around İstiklâl Caddesi, the main shopping and pedestrian street in Istanbul.
It is a really nice street, with an old tram line passing through, and has countless shops, bars, restaurants, libraries, pubs and cinemas.
We strolled down the hill towards the sea and had a little break in Mums Café, a spot to remember.
In the evening, Sven and Kevin had booked us in for a hamam and massage in Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı. Built in 1580 and recently renovated, we had a perfect treatment with water, tons of foam, back and body rubs, lying on hot marble, and a full massage afterwards…
Relaxation bliss.
To round off the night, we had dinner at Nicole, a fancy restaurant overlooking the hill and water on the top of a recently renovated building. Sven has a talent for digging out the exclusive pearls….
We went for their tasting menu and had six or seven courses of soups, salads, vegetables, the boys had fish and lamb… and a fine selection of Turkish wines all through the evening…
They adapted the menu for my vegetarian needs, and the waiter was presenting each course and bottle with background info.