While on our way to Ethiopia and Somalia, we had a layover of several hours in Istanbul. So, my Italian and I journeyed into Istanbul and had lunch with our Turkish friends, Zeynep and Yusuf. We met in Taksim Square which I felt was appropriate given its bloody history (the Taksim Square Massacre) and the … Continue reading
Ahhhh, Topkapi Palace. Topkapi Palace was built between 1459 and 1465 by Mehmet II shortly after his conquest of Constantinople. Rather than a single building, it was conceived as a series of pavilions contained by four enormous courtyards, a stone version of the tented encampments from which the nomadic Ottomans had emerged. It is difficult … Continue reading
Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) and interior The New Mosque The Blue Mosque The Grand Bazaar and The Spice Bazaar – the ultimate medieval “shopping center,” with over 4000 shops There’s an informal bazaar outside that is possibly even more interesting because of characters like this: And lots of cats Basilica Cistern – Beneath Istanbul lie hundreds … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 