Oct 7: Wedding Anniversary & a Visit to the Harem

We went to the Topkapi Palace today. We got some (legitimate) “skip the line” tickets online - another classic example of Istanbul’s integrated economy, where white and black transactions interweave. We paid by card online yesterday and arrived this morning at the agency. We received a QR code to download an audio guide and a ticket with the words “this is NOT a ticket” printed on it. We were also given lanyards with broken audio packs on them - “symbolic audio guides” by which members of our group were to be identified.

At the palace gate, our guide used a QR code on her phone to beep each of us through the turnstile, while chatting comfortably with the uniformed attendant. She then marshalled us through the First and Second Courtyards to the Harem turnstile and, again, bleeped us all in, while chit-chatting with a second uniformed guard. Job done, she went back to the agency to meet the next group.

Her QR code would provide an electronic record of how many guests she had admitted, allowing all the various parties to be confident their cut was accurate. My guess is the Government got local price for our visit and the premium was split between the agency, museum management and the official staff, probably tax-optimised as “services”. No harm, no foul - likely all the agencies (and museums) work the same way. I recognise this from my professional life: the renaming and rebadging of things. I really enjoy the precision of the workarounds.

The Harem was intensely crowded, every bit as opulent as advertised. When we were finally spat out into the Third Courtyard, the crowds dissipated almost immediately. The grounds are green, crisply edged with box hedges, flower beds a-riot with busy lizzy. The most beautiful pavilions are the Sultan’s reflection room; the Music pavilion; the Imperial Library. Tiled in aqua, red, royal blue and green, their windows have stained glass, framed with honeycomb-like metal work, sometimes gilded. Quotes from The Quoran appear over every door in golden letters. We also visited the kitchens and the 18th Century “Medicine House”, which might have been the Grand Trianon at Versailles.

We have also enjoyed being sold to on this trip. I remember the hassling and barking of vendors, hawking their café or shop, stepping into your way, forcing eye-contact. Maybe, I am more matronly these days. Certainly, we are staying in the good part of town. Whatever, we have been regaled not assailed; charmed not smarmed: engaged in a friendly, knowing role-play that has been accretive, rather than abrasive. Being sold to with charm and finesse can be a treat.

It is our Wedding Anniversary. We celebrated by allowing ourselves to be up-sold a splendid meal at the restaurant next door. Carey had “flaming pot” stew, which has the theatricality of duck à l’orange, flambéed at the table (although, this is such a firestorm, they set up a standalone table in the street!). It was enormous fun, and tasty.

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Inspired by our 2024 Camino Francais, Karen has a periodic podcast called "I sent you a bloody boat", personal thoughts on faith by a person who believes in thinking. Also, known as "The Reluctant Christian". You can listen to it on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts at: