I have always been fascinate to travel to Istanbul because of its culture since Istanbul is located between the Europe and Asia. This makes their culture and achitecture a bit different from Middle East countires. I finally made my dicision to visit Istanbul by myself and to be honest with you I was quite worry because Turkey does not have a good reputation for single woman travler nor one of the safest country to travel too, but it's a sheme to be scare and not willing to explore the world so I did a lot of reserch about traveling to Turkey as a single woman traveler. There were a lot of negative things about traveling to Turkey and what I should be aware of, also many beautiful things about the culture there and a few good comment from woman who had been there on her own plus a very bad story about American woman who travel there on her own and just one day before she supposed to come back from vacation she got murdered. That made me pretty worried about going to Istanbul, my friends also told me not to travel there on my own.

 However I decided to visit Istanbul. I have been traveling all around the world and I always alert so I though as long as I stay in a safe area and not walking alone at night in the back street there. I should be ok. I also stay at  DoubleTree By Hilton Istanbul - Old Town. It is five star hotel and located by the main road. I considered it should be safe. I was very excited to visit Istanbul, as I am a traveler it's like pursuing my dream but in the back of head I am a bit worried because I knew that it's not the safest place to travel too even though I read some article that Istanbul is one of the safest city in the world "Not True" I finally arrived here safely. The driver who droved from the airpot seem very kind but he could not speak English. It took me about an hour from airport to the hotel. The traffic here was very bad but since I grew up in Bangkok which is one of the worse traffic in the world so I guess that did not drive me so crazy, somehow I did not enjoy the traffic but the good thing was that I paid fix price for the cab drive.

 Once I arrived at the hotel. I was happy because the hotel was nice and it was located in a great area. It was late at night so i decided to rest at the hotel and ordered room service. It was great that I could have the taste of Turksih food in my hotel room. It was delicious and bed was comfy. I already felt pretty good here. Another reason that I did not want to go out because I was not sure if it safe because here is Istanbul not midtown NYC where you would always see people everywhere. I finished my beautiful dinner and just relaxed, waiting for the next day so I could explore Istanbul.

 The next day I had everything plan out where I want to go so my first stop was Grand Bazarr which was about 15 -20 walking distance. There was a tram right down the street from the hotel but my first day I decide to walk so I could enjoy myself and learn more about the area, just before I arrived at Grand Bazaar I stoped by at Turkish Delight place for breakfast. I love Baklava a lot so that was a bit funny that I wanted to have Baklava for breakfast but why not?1?! I like it so I had a very delicious baklava and turkish tea, here in Turkey everyone drink tea and pretty much all day. The tea was great and pare really well with my dessert breakfast, after I enjoyed my small meal than I kept walking until I arrived at Grand Bazaar. There were so many shopes along the side walk, many restaurants, and Turkish Chestnut Vendors etc. I love the vibrant but I assumed that people here are hard sale "I mean hard core sale" so If you are not willing to buy something just do not walk into the store. They also will give you stuff to try. I considered they are kind but sometimes they will try to sale you too but some will say you don't have to buy if you don't want. 

 In Grand Bazaar you will find many shops selling the same thing, but Grand Bazaar is famous for its high quality spices. They also called Grand Bazarr as Egypt market. For the firs time I walked into spice market. There were so many people all around but I really love the vibrant. I love the colorful of the products and the beauty of interior design was magnificant and it was different. However It was very annoying that every sigle cornor I walked too. These Turkish man will always asked me to come into the store than asked me to go out with them after they finished work and guess what most of them talk the same. I tried not to think in the negative way instead maybe they were just nice but after three days there in Istanbul I learnt it was very annoying and I will tell you the story of my third days in Istanbul later on what happend with me and it was the worse trip of my life. However let me talk about good thing about this trip first ;)

 I had a wonderful time here in Grand Bazaar and check out many shops, tried some turkish delight and had some Turkish meal for lunch, again here I always ordered tea! There were so many mosques around here. Those mosques are beautiful but they have similar deigned. After spend a lot of time at Grand Bazaar I decided to go to Blue mosque which was one of the most beautiful mosque in Istanbul, but unfortunately  it started to rain and it was getting heavier so I was soaking wet than I decided to take a cab which I did not want too. It was about 15 minutes walking from where I was to the hotel but I was already wet and my shoes was getting wet too. Anyway I got in a cab and as I though! He took me all around in the liitle alley with the bad traffic but instead he could use the high way. I was asking him why I took so long, finally I had to get off and I paid him 60 Lira!!!! plus walking another 1Kilometer unde the rain.. Wait! I took cab because it was raining! The cab drivers in Istanbul have no moral. I read a lot about cheaty cab drivers in Istanbul before and it hit me in my face. Infact the next day talked to the concierge at the hotel about the price that I paid for the cab and they were shock because I only pay 7 Lira for the same distance by using hotel cab! Honestly I am not impressed how people here tried to rib off the tourist this much. It is so unkind and bad for tourism. 

 Enough complaning, the next day I was walking around the hotel area and met a nice Turkish girl who helped me with the direction. She told me not to walk on the back street because it can be very dangerous for me. She walked me until where I found an acient wall. I did not feel so safe around here so after I saw the wall than I just walked back to the hotel area and ready for my next plan. I was going on the historical Bosphorus cruises that will take me to Europe and Asia. It is the open seawhich separates Asia and Europe. The boat started from Galata bridge.The great history about Istanbul Istanbul was the capital of two of the greatest empires of not only their times but also in history Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) and Ottoman Empire. Today trip was different because I had a tour guid that was going on the boat with me. He was telling me all the histories along the ocean. The architecture was magnificent. I had a wonderful time. I also get ot see sunset on the way back. However It was a long ride and it was just the boat ride. We did not get to get off and explore places however there was not enough time to do that unless I visit these places on my own the other day. It was getting late until we arrived back at the port, but tonight I have a fun plan to go for dinner with an entertainment show such as belly dancing and tradition Turkish dancing. It was alright and the wrose food I ever had, but good service. At lest it was part of the traveling experience. If I don't try I don't know :)

 I concerned about kids asking for money on the street here. They were running around and keep asking money. They were just way too many. I did not want to be mean but it was not a good idea to give money because If you do once than a bunch of them will come around me. I had my bag and camera so I had to be very carefull too becuase there were many pick pocket here. Today I had to hit my plan as I mentioned aboved before I got rib off by cab driver! I found a nice area where I want to have dinner so I had to make it happend today but before that I had to buy a gift for myself first! since the port was right next to Grand Bazaar. I love the jewelry here. The designed of Turkish jewelry is so unique and beautiful. I bought a ring and bracelet. than after I head off to the restaurant. I was totally happy with me meal here. The stuff was very friendly. I made new friends here in Turkey. I also had the best meal ever on this trip. They food was authentic and the service was excellent! I told them I would come back the next day for dinner again. I totally had a wonderful trip today, another thing I just want to mention. I always like to get on Hop-On Hop-Off bus in any cities that I traveled but my time was tight so I did not do it on this trip. If you visit Istanbul. I think it is a great way to explore the city on your first day than you decided later where you want to visit the most. Istanbul is quite a big city. However I knew what I want to do and since I stayed in Old Town area so I think it was the best place for attraction and safest.

 My last day of Istanbul trip before I head off to Thailand. I was thinking to myself it's pretty safe here as long as you alert and not walking in the back street. Today I take a tram. This is so much fun than the bus!!! Now I got to explore the city like local people! It really like the tram public service. I went to the Europe site of the city. I was walking around the city and I love the historicle sites in Europe area. What I love the most was the fish market and the flea market! I had a wonderful lunch in the first market area. I chosed fresh seafood and they cooked for me. That was really wonderful. I have met a lot of nice people here. This made a good memory when I travel. I also did a little bit of shopping and discovered historicle sites. One of the most beautiful historicle site was Galata towner and the architecture around there. It was the twisted between European and Arabic but just so you know people here do not speak Arabic even though they seem like Arabic but they have their own languge. While walking into a beautiful street and photographing. This old man invited me to come in the Church and told me the story. He was so kind. It was nice to see inside the old church and a kind man who told me the story. It was getting late by than and I knew it I would not want to walk at night here. I felt it in my gut this is not the city you should walk at night alone.  

 The road from Galata towner back to the tram was a bit tricky so I had was following the map. The back street around there freak me out! Honestly I walked into one street and there were two homeless man. They look like drug addicted. Their clothes were rip off and they were staring at me like they wanted to attack me. I had to run fast! I have been travel all around the world. I think that part was the most scariest of my traveling trip. I have seem homeless people anywhere in any places around the world, but these homesless guy look very dangerous. However I finally reached the main street. I only had to cross the road to get to the tram station. There was an old guy was asking me camera camera - one dollar one dollar. He doesn't speak English. I looked at him and he does not look like homeless. He looks clean so I felt weird. Than I smile at him and say no thanks. I knew something weird here so I ran and cross the road and I did not look back. I used my token to entry into the tram station. There were tons of people because this is the center city. I turned around again and this freaky guy was behind me!!! He attacked me and grab my wrist really hard. I felt like I was locked up. Can you imagine that happened to you and he does not speak English? He pulled out his batch and said police. There were hundrea of people staring at me. Nobody here help once this nasty guy said he was the police but ofcause they have question in their face if he was a real police because he does not wear a police uniform. I was terrified!!! There was a couple guy who tried to help me. I kept saying anyone please help! everyone was just afraid. Than he got on the phone and called the police to come to arrest me! I was confuse what da hack was going on here!?!?!?!? This undercover tried to pull me agressively but I would not move because I was afraid he would put drug in my bag or if he was not a real police. This was the most terrified experience in my life and I do not deserved that as I am a tourist bringing in money to Turkey.

 Finally another three polices had arrived and they all aggressive to small woman like me. They both draged me and put me into a police. I though I am going to stay in Jail here without knowing what I did. The worse part non of them speak English. They were not even tourist police. They took my ID too. I told them I want to called US Embassy and they tried to take my phone away from my hand. These police are freaky nasty. I learnt now the dark world. I only watch that on TV but this is the first time I experienced with the real corrupt police in Istanbul. After I got into the police car with another three polices. They asked for my camera. After they look at my pictres they let me go. This were so horrible and ugly way to arrest people. I never though this would happen to me. I was so alert about pick pocket etc, but unfortunately my bad experienced happend with the police. This was actually my last day of the trip. I felt bad for the people I have met here because it made my trip with the bad memory. If this happened to you. You would know what I meant. They were very agrressive to me and no respect to woman. I learnt so much now about this part of the world.

 Do not get me wrong. I decided to visit Turkey becuase I think it is a beautiful country. I have notting to againts about people and the country but this horrible thing happen to me and I would not dare to sale the trip to my client. I only recommend people to travel to Istanbul with another person or even better as a group. It is not great for a single woman traveler! After that horrified night I got back to the hotel and I talked to the hotel manager about it. He said he will not give information and took my name off the system. They concierge also told me about these type of thing happend all the time. It is normal in Istanbul. Police is like a god here. I can't just belived they do that to the tourist too. However I was kind of suck becuase I really want to go back to that restaurant but I got worry since I knew there was another undercover follow me from the train station. They totally though I was a invastigator!! Holy cow I look so Asain. How would I look like undercover! at the same time I was just glad that I was the only night I had to stay here because I did not feel like stay in Istanbul anymore. At these time I also think of my new friend at the restaurant because I told them I would come back again for dinner. So yes It was sucks but since the next day my flight depart around 4pm so I would make sure to go back for early lunch and smoke chicha before heading to the airport. 

 I finally made my plan to have my last Turkish meal. It was good and the chicha that calm me down. This time I had hotel cab droved me from hotel to the restaurant also pick me up. This trip was wonderful except the police part that I will remember for the rest of my life. I will only go back to Turkey when it more safe or with travel with others. Stay tuned for my travel episodes in Istanbul!