Istanbul is not Constantinople
Trip Start
Jun 06, 2008
1
22
31
Trip End
Jun 10, 2008
Istanbul,
Turkey
Saturday, November 15, 2008
We are doing the EZ tour of Istanbul, Bus into the City from Asia (because the Bosphorus Straits connect the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmora and it also separates Europe from Asia and divides the city of Istanbul into two sections). There is now a bridge that does this but previously there were only ferry boats. Istanbul is also the place where the Imfamous Orient Express still runs to the far reaches of eastern Asia or is that western Europe. We have now technically been on 3 Continents so far on this trip (North America, Europe and Asia) with one more to go (Africa).
Our tour today took us to the famous Blue Mosque, Constantine's Coptic Church and Museum as well as the Palace of the Ottoman Empire's Sultan as well as the Hareem and the Musuems and exhibits that are located there. We will also ate a typical Turkish lunch overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. Istanbul is also a very fortified city with respect to its location and it is also a centre of trade as it is at the very crossroads of all trade going east or west and north or south. Land or Sea lanes all pass through here. Will add some pictures later of the Grand Bazaare which is much larger than Kusadasi. Mary didn't do too much shopping but she did quite a lot of looking. Turkish merchants are persistent but not rude. Again saying no only encourags them to bargain with you. As a window shopper walking away is also not considered rude but saying no thank-you only encourages the bargaining process to begin.
