Istanbul, Turkey (2007)

Istanbul is split in half by the Bosporus River. One half is Europe, the other half is Asia. Istanbul (not Constantinople) is an incredibly beautiful city, reminiscent of Paris but with mosques instead of cathedrals. The food is super yummy (home of the kebab). The Ottoman and Byzantine empires ruled over an area larger than the Roman Empire. But, they kind of picked the wrong side in WWI.

Jewel of the city, Hagia Sofia as seen from our hotel.

Facing Sofia is the Blue Mosque.

Inside a mosque.

More interior.

Black and gold.

Another important mosque.

Mosque outside the spice market.

Spice market.

China is a huge part of Turkish trade history.

We asked who they were trying to sell this to, considering that the Turkish women were all covered up according to Islam. They told us that the women had to be covered up only outside the house. If they were good wives, they would wear this stuff in the house.

Meat shop.

Turkish lights.

Evil eye.

Galata Bridge with lots of fishing and restaurants.

We took a little cruise along the Bosporus River.

Turkish flag flying high.

River mosque.

Asia-Europe express.

River castle.

Party island.

Asian side river mosque.

Asian Istanbul lighthouse.

We visited the Topkapi palace.

View from the palace.

The famous Topkapi Diamond. No photos allowed, but I super-zoomed into the room from outside.

Huge swords.

Undefined device in the Circumcision Room.

Scary tree.

We ate lunch at the palace overlooking the Bosporus.

Turkish sweets.

The Turkish coffee was intense, thick sludge of coffee beans that had me jumping off the walls.

We let this cute kitten clean our plates.

Last thing to do was a Turkish Bath!

Carmel snuck a shot in of the changing rooms with the super zoom.

I was never cleaner in my whole life. Unfortunately, all the relaxation went away when our taxi got totaled on the way to the airport (no injuries).

Sun setting behind the Blue Mosque.

Good night Istanbul!