So we went to Turkey. It's one border away from Armenia, but that border is closed, so you have to go through another country. We flew from Tbilisi, Georgia, to Istanbul, a thousand miles or so. Turkey is big. Istanbul is big. I mean New York-like big, with skyscrapers in every direction on the horizon. But the historic center, where we stepped out of the streetcar, is an island of touristic calm. Except that it was filled with people: tourists, of course, as well as a lot of people celebrating Ramadan, but very few cars.
We were in awe. The air felt fresh, the light was soft, the crowds were relaxed. You could hear seagulls. The first thing that grabbed our attention was Hagia Sophia, a church built by Emperor Justinian of the Holy Roman Empire - the eastern part after the break - more than 1,400 years ago. Across a big park from it stands the Blue Mosque, equally imposing. We stayed in a hostel a couple of corners beyond the park.
Over the next couple of days we saw a lot, some of it with Julianne, another Peace Corps volunteer we know from Armenia: Starbucks (we did), McDonald's (we didn't), a funicular (did), a lot of ferries across the Bosphorus (look up a map). We even found an Armenian church, although the Armenians we met there spoke a Western Armenian dialect we had trouble understanding.
I had written a bunch of captions for the pictures below but lost them. I may add something more later. I've posted a lot more pictures on a different page, and they do have more informative captions.
Click on the pictures for better views.
Click on the pictures for better views.
The Hagia Sophia, completed in 537 AD. The dome was rebuilt by an Armenian architect sometime in the 900s after a couple of previous cupolas collapsed in earthquakes. The church was turned into a mosque a few centuries later and in the early 1900 was made a museum. Worth a long trip.
A gate to the Grand Bazaar, the world's largest indoor mall - for several centuries now.
A shwirling terwish. They were everywhere: in the streets, on the trams, on the domestic flights - we just couldn't get away from these guys. We liked the hats, though.
Hagia Sophia, built 537. I'm repeating myself, but that year is worth repeating.
Hermit home in Cappadocia. They were all over the place.
Cappadocia landscape. Click on the picture and spot all the cave homes. The Flintstones had nothing on this place. I want to live like that.
Cappadocia condos: indoor plumbing needs updating; 360 views. Again, click on image.
Passing the city of Antalya on our way to the Med.
The Med. There were a few people at the other end of the beach, maybe 3km away.
Greek/Roman city of Olympos. Ruins are more interesting when they're overgrown.
Methane: been burning for thousands of years. The flames have actually burned away the rock over time.
Kiyi Pansiyon: recommended. Here we see the dining room.
Back in Istanbul, at the Sultan's harem in the Sultan's palace, looking for harem girls.
The Bosphorous [bOss-po-russ]. Ferries. Two bridges. Slow boats to China.
Dinner with Erica and Judy in Anadolu Kavagi; the white boat on the left brought us back through the Bosphorus to Istanbul.
Rooftop of the hotel where we stayed the last two nights: the dome beyond Susan's head is an old Ottoman-era hamam (baths). The yellow building glimpsed on the left is a former prison - the one featured in Midnight Express - and now a Four Seasons hotel. Above it all: Hagia Sophia.
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