With lockdown due to start on Thursday, the GF and I decided to go out this afternoon for supplies that may become harder to get hold of in the days to come. But first we walked across the Galata Bridge for a cup of coffee in the pleasant square between the Yeni mosque and the Spice Bazaar, and examined the plant shops there for future reference. We then walked over to Gulhane where, rumour had it, the tulips were out.
They were indeed out, and the park looked quite lovely, much more so than our first visit when it was rather crowded and we didn’t realise it went up a reasonable way. The hyacinths were also in full bloom, and their heady scent easily penetrated our masks. There were fine spring view across the Golden Horn and Topkapi’s kiosks just above us. We pottered around long enough that it was too late to go to Cihangir for groceries, so instead we strolled around the park a little more, then walked back over the bridge, stopping to get some gullac (a Ramazan speciality). A very pleasant pre-lockdown afternoon, with Istanbul at its best.