Eating turkey in Turkey on Turkey Day would have been a magnificent feat, but sadly I only ate kebabs on 27 November in Istanbul. The trip to Istanbul was amazing; the people were fun and extroverted, the buildings and sites were impressive, the food was delicious with interesting flavors, and the surroundings were unlike anything I had experienced before. I hope you enjoy glancing at the photos and brief commentaries I've posted here.
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Dolma rolling machines for sale. Dolma is a Turkish delicacy with ingredients like rice and meat wrapped in vine or grape leaves.
Lots of people in the crowded streets. Istanbul is the 3rd largest city in the world with around 12 million people. That is, about 3 times the population of the entire country of Norway.
Part of the city across the Golden Horn on the European side.
People fishing along the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus, also known as the Istanbul Straight, is a body of water separating the European and Asian continents. Since the city encompasses area on both sides of the Bosphorus, Istanbul is considered a transcontinental city.
Cool hats
Enjoying Turkish coffee...it's known to be a strong and thick brew.
Octopus
Sheep heads
Strange looking fish
A pigeon lady
Delicious kebab
Bagel vendor
Portable laminator
Travis with two Turks we met in a restaurant our first night
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Cats were everywhere around the city, even in the church/mosque/museum of Hagia Sofia as seen in the first picture below. The story we heard is that the Prophet Mohammed was fond of cats, so they are allowed to roam freely.
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We took a quick trip to the Asian side of Istanbul. Boat ride lasted approximately 10 minutes. It was interesting going from Europe to Asia in a matter of minutes...just strange to think of it that way I suppose.
In Europe...
Now Asia.
Security fences around a university on the Asian side.
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The Grand Bazaar. Reportedly some 6,000 shops in this market.
The Spice Bazaar, constructed in the 17th Century. This location served as an important connecting point between Asia and Europe along the historical spice routes.
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The Topkapi Palace was the residence for the Ottaman Sultans during the 15-19th Centuries. We toured the palace, which is now a museum, and learned a bit about the history of the Ottoman Empire and the lavish lives the sultans enjoyed. Also, some impressive items we saw in the museum include the 86 carat 'Spoonmaker's Diamond,' the turban of Joseph (son of Jacob), a sword belonging to David, and the staff of Moses. At first I was shocked and thought the items of the historical holy figures were just replicas, but according to the museum the items are genuine.
View of Topkapi Palace from a distance
Inside Topkapi Palace
With our Turkish Rotarian friend, Cagri, who graciously showed us around the city on Saturday.
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These next photos are from the Hagia Sofia museum. Hagia Sofia was first a basilica built in the 4th Century AD, later converted to a mosque in the 15th Century when the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople, and now is a museum.
This mosaic is one of many that has been uncovered.
The lucky hole in the pillar. You're supposed to stick your thumb in and twist your hand around in a complete circle while making a wish.
From outside in the evening
The museum was interesting to see both Christian and Islamic symbols exist in the same place of worship.
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The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also referred to as the Blue Mosque, was built in the early 17th Century and is the national mosque of Turkey. The building architecture is absolutely spectacular.
Video during a call to prayer showing the activity in the area around the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Also at the end of the video you can see the Hagia Sofia museum in the distance.
Inside the Sultan Ahmed Mosque
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The Basilica Cistern
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Travis and I met up with a group of Rotarians from a club in Istanbul on Saturday afternoon to visit a few of the historical sites in the city and went to dinner in the evening. We enjoyed eating 'mezes,' which are Turkish appetizers and drinking the local 'raki,' which has a flavor of black licorice.
With Cagri
The mezes
Showing off our Rotary banners. There were 7 of us total in the afternoon, two of the Rotarians weren't able to join us for dinner.
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