My hotel is cozy (see picture) and the staff is friendly here. But included breakfast is not a buffet breakfast. In Turkey each guest is receiving little tray with one boiled egg, few skices of mest and cheese, slices of veggies. Tea or coffee is unlimited. Receptionist showed me the way to the the nearest metro station on M11 subway line (30 min walk). No card for fare payment You have to buy Istanbul card first – it costs 165 lira. On the top of this amount you have to pay in Turkish cash or c. card for expected rides. I experieced here first cheat. No people in charge to complain! The machine charged my cc for card but didn’t lssue it!
Nobody will tell you that at the end of the metro line M11 in the long underground corridors young clerks will catch you and push to pay extra fee for the connection. I disembarked metro on Taxim Square and went down to the Bosporus European bank. Then I took the ferry to the Asian bank, the trip to Uskudar with a nice view of the bridge takes around 20 minutes:
On the Asian coast I was climbing green hills for the views – nice paths are there. In the afternoon I returned to Europe by bus via the bridge. Two continents in one day!
Unfortunetely I experieced second cheat in the underground corridors of the subway. I didn’t have enough money to pay the M11 line surcharge. Credit card was not working. Young clerk took from me 5 dollars and didn’t give me change in cash or in credit on Istanbul card. He just disapeared! That’s black face of Istanbul. Take care when you will come here! You are in Turkey!
