Istanbul

Istanbul 25th June

St. Sophia at Sunset

We spent our first night in our old Ottoman hotel.  Very quaint and themed to the old world of the Middle East.  The terrace at the top of the hotel has amazing views across the Bosphorus to Asia...  We were sitting up there just before sunset and the most beautiful glow highlighted the Hagia Sophia. Now a museum, was originally a Christian church, then it was converted to a Mosque by one of the Sultans.  The original Christian frescoes were covered up, but have since been re-discovered.  A lot of restoration is going on.  Parts of the frescoes dated back to 950AD.

We have ventured out into this ancient city today. To the Blue Mosque,so named because of the predominating colour of the tiles; toured inside and around the grounds, it was magnificent. Has 6 minarets, had to top the others in the area, lots of competition between the architects.   We saw the site of the Hippodrome, where the chariot races were held long ago. There are 3 monuments an Obelisk and 2 columns. One had been decorated with bronze, but that had all been "borrowed.", only the holes were left where it had been secured.  Ben Hur would have been in his element, but Charlton Heston has moved on to higher places.

Blue Mosque

We then continued to the inside of the Hagia Sophia that I mentioned earlier.

Missed out on the tour of Topkapi Palace, but did have an interesting lunch. We were taken to a local restaurant on the waterfront, and given a salad dish first, then a second course of meat and fruit for dessert.  The first course, I mostly had no idea what I was eating, but I gave it a go, hopefully the stomach will agree later.

After this to the Suleymaniye (the Magnificent) Mosque built 1550 approx.  Becoming another ABC tour.

It is bartering in the stores, restaurants invite you in, and hard sell in most places.  Gary went for a haircut and after a shave, facial, exfoliation, massage, he came away quite a few lira lighter.  The just kept continuing with the treatments while he sat a bit stunned with it all, but he loved it anyway.

Gary having the treatment

It certainly is very hot, compared to our time in Northern Europe, worked up a bit of a sweat walking around today.  Tomorrow it will be an early start to travel out to Gallipoli. Have packed away all the woollies for now.

Inside Sulaman's mosque

Did I get the message?

Column at Hippodrome robbed of precious metal