Hello friends,
Before I start a new thread of travel posts on another country, I would like to sum up my travel experience in this beautiful city, Istanbul. Istanbul is a city with a very long history, previously known as Constantinople and Byzantium. It is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling Europe and Asia, and the most populous city in Turkey (1).
It was late February 2009 when I visited Istanbul. It was cold and grey, but the sun was occasionally out. I would love to go there again during summer, and see the waters of Bosphorus sparkle in the sunshine, so we'll see. It was a cheap holiday from what I remember, because food, hotel and transport was very low priced. Leather and gold was worth looking at there, but I wasn't tempted to buy anything but a pair of woolen socks, a silver ring, and two inlaid backgammon sets. The socks I still wear. The ring has a huge emerald on it, which must be a natural stone as it has so many imperfections. And the backgammon sets are so pretty that I use them for display.
Istanbul has so many wonderful sights to see. For me, the best ones were Hagia Sophia and Top Kapi. Hagia Sophia was the reason I visited Istanbul in the first place. I was fascinated by its history. A place of worship during Byzantine times, a place of massacre when Byzantium fell, and then again a place of worship during Ottoman times.
Top Kapi, one of the most most beautiful, intricate and lavishly decorated places I have seen. The jewels of Top Kapi simply stunning, but no photographs allowed. And believe me, I tried!
Another beautiful Byzantine church is Chora church, and I have to thank the Turkish guide for taking me there. The most beautiful mosaics I have ever seen. Saved from Venetians, Ottomans, earthquakes, and the ravages of time.
If you like shopping, a visit to the Grand Bazaar is recommended. From spices to jewels, and leather jackets to woolen hats. And of course, Turkish delights.
It's worth making a visit to the mosques of Istanbul too. I was impressed by the Blue Mosque, with the beautiful stained windows and painted dome.
The Yeni Cami is another beautiful mosque worthy of your time. Right on the edge of Bosphorus, you'll see it many times when you take the Bosphorus cruise.
The rest of the city around the historic center I found to be rather plain, and in places run down.
To get a bird's eye view of Istanbul, you may as well seek out that coffeehouse right up on the hill, on the Asian side of the city.
I love gilding, and Istanbul is full of gilded things of Islamic art to look at.
As far as gastronomy is concerned, there were a lot of very good, very well-priced restaurants to eat at. The one below was actually making ravioli to order.
And that's the end of today's post. And the end of the thread on Istanbul too. I hope you liked it, and that you will follow me to the next one. Have a good day, and speak to you soon!
References
1.Text from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul