Istanbul

Location Description

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144 photos

When in use, the arches would contain food vendors,...
A graceful minaret spotted as we approached Istanbul
Part of the original city wall around Istanbul. The...
One of our first tours in Istanbul was to the Topkapi...
Ornamentation everywhere.
One tourist appears eager to enter the harem
Our group wasn't always happy - Sonol kept his spirits.
Another example of the decorative work on the walls.
These are all in the harem, which actually was a pretty...
I found the art beautiful.
these niches were used for candles.
A bedroom wall in one of the wife's apartments.
A fire pot for warmth. Check out the rug ... and the...
Another part of the Topkapi Palace grounds
On the terrace of Topkapi Palace which overlooks the Sea...
Still on the terrace. The suspension bridge in the far...
One of the most covered women we saw.
A little room designated as a library ... looked like a...
More of the library
.. and I believe an adjoining room
An unusual gathering of several headscarfed women. I...
Now, who does this look like? Isn't he a mascot or...
Our first sight of the Aya Sofia (Turkish for Hagia Sophia)
Lunch at a restaurant called Hamdi. On the second floor...
A view from the restaurant window. We are in the Old...
Enjoying a kebob at Hamid.
On our way to the Rustem Pasha Mosque - smaller, and not...
Glad I brought my own scarf.
Ceiling of this Mosque - I think I was trying to capture...
A better view of the ceiling, I guess
One of the few worshipers inside. We never saw women praying.
The pulpit which is used during Friday prayers.
Decoration over a doorway
Entrance to the Spice Bazaar
You could find just about anything in loose baskets. ...
Very pretty displays
But it went on and on, store after store. How do you...
Interesting to me, all the shop keepers were men.
Did I mention there was lots of stuff?
... and even more. A lot of "Turkish Delight" - the...
People escaping from the spice market. Front right...
Back for a better closer look at Aya Sofia
Except this is the interior of the Blue Mosque ... hmmmm...
Definitely the Blue Mosque, despite the red carpet
It was built around 1610 as a mosque and still used as...
The name comes from the blue tiles on the walls. It has...
More foot washing stations.
Obelisk shipped from Egypt. Supposedly one solid piece...
These are turtles that seemed happy enough to live in a...
Like this double decker.
The Basilica Cistern with just a few feet of water. In...
Today carp live in the water and keep it clean by eating...
Most of the columns had corinthian tops. When filled it...
The tears on this column are supposedly for the hundreds...
And one column had at its base a Medusa head, placed...
... ah, there it is. Would be too tall if upright, but...
... and in a corner what struck me as a very very poor...
Now, this is the inside of the Aya Sofia. Thee are four...
There was significant restoration work going on. It is...
Here's the side not being worked on.
.. and here is a tourist happy to see it at last, even...
Ditto from this fellow.
Behind the angel figures is one of the famous...
Initially built in 360 as an Orthodox Church, it became...
Views from the balcony
Flying buttresses were installed when it looked like the...
A view of Hagia Sophia complete with its four minarets.
One of the many mosaics in the Chora Church originally...
Some more of the mosaics.
The ceiling in the Chora church - which was named for...
One of the few "international" brands we saw in Turkey
The first course at a lovely restaurant near the Chora church.
Another serving of wonderful braised lamb over a puree...
The restaurant, whose food was just pictured. We ate...
Driving back from Chora, we passed the city walls (at...
Part of a new bridge under construction across the...
I'll leave a description of what's happening here to Peter.
One of two suspension bridges across the Bosphorous. ...
More of the bridge with an old fortification on the...
Visible is the Rumeli Fortress ... a series of three...
One of the summer palaces on the Asian side used by the sultans.
A scene in the Grand Bazaar - city's great shopping destination.
A store in the Grand Bazaar ... sort of like the Spice...
More Grand Bazaar.
... and still more. Note the male shopkeepers.
A mural in the Mosaic museum - a little off the beaten...
... more old timey interior decorations
Lots of stories behind all these.
Lots of fables
A street market that we walked through several times -...
Not quite sure what I was trying to show here ... but I...
One of the community pets. I've decided that's what I'd...
Taking a break between the Mosaic museum and the...
The sarcophagus of Alexander the Great with some of his...
On the reverse side, six weeping women mourning the loss...
One of many many Roman sculptures in the Museum.
Once you start looking for the pets, they are everywhere.
A display in the Museum for Turkish Ceramics, across...
More Turkish ceramics
Some beautiful pieces on display
Back in the Archaeology Museum. Have lost track of...
A peace treaty from 1260 BCE. We should do as well now.
A portal lion, most likely Hittite, explained below
Yes!
And here's another lion with a description this time
Check out these dates: we're talking 2600 years old
Remember when we had a replica on the slate coffee...
Catherine might want a pony; I'm still asking for a...
In the Koftecisi (meatball) restaurant recommended by...
She said to have the meat balls (logs?) with piyaz, a...
Standing outside the Koftecisi
Istiklal (Independence Street) looking down from Taksim...
Three musicians contributing to the street scene. Very...
The funicular at the bottom of Istiklal which runs back...
A sea gull who came over to the restaurant window at our...
He lives across the way, on a roof top where he and mom...
The Blue Mosque as seen from the rooftop cocktail lounge...
As its lights come up for the evening
I'm sure there are ways to adjust my camera that would...
Needed a picture of Cloudy since I already had Shadow
Dolmabache Palace on the European side of the...
It definitely incorporated European styles.
Beautiful gardens along the Bosphorous
An entry gate if you arrived by water.
Some of the ornate decoration
A tourist in the garden.
The entrance gate if you came by land.
... with rose standards
.. and great sculpture
View from a different entrance gate. Bosphorous to the...
Another sculpture at Dolmabahce Palace. The weather is...
Enjoying the gardens and the day.
Leaving the palace
This fellow is sitting right nest to a seafood market.
I am assuming he knows who butters his bread. The...
A greengrocer in Ortokay. Love the radishes arranged...
Our last day in Istanbul, walking up to the Galata Tower...
View of the new (under construction bridge across the...
Not sure which mosque. I'm betting on the Suleyman...
Back on the street, there were many posters for the...
From Galata Tower, we walked up Istiklal Street where we...
We next spotted the riot police heading to Taksim...
Also spotted an all electric street cleaner
Sunday night, last evening in Istanbul at Ahirkapi - a...