ISTANBUL
 
 
January 2008
 
AYA SOFYA    
This is the Istanbul most famous monument. Built in 537 by Emperor Justinian and in 1453 converted into a Mosque, to finally became a Museum 80 years ago.
JUstinian entering it for the first time almost 1500 year ago said:
"Glory to God that I have been judged worthy of such work. Oh Salomon! I have outdone you!"
BLUE MOSQUE    
Sultan Ahmet I set out to build a monument that would rival and even surpass the nearby Aya Sofya.
It has the biggest courtyard of all Ottoman mosques, 6 minarets, 260 windows and ...
...the blue tiles that give the building the unofficial name number in the ten of thousands.
GALATA BRIDGE    
This is the busiest bridge I have ever seen - has a long line of hopeful anglers trailing their lines into the waters below.
You can try the fish straight away in one of the underneath restaurants - best is the Fish Sandwich for 3 TRY!
At Sunset the view the bridge is surrounded by silhouettes of shrieking seagulls and the mosques at the seven hills of the city thrown against red-pink sky.
AROUND IN TOWN    
Istanbul Modern
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
View from Galata Bridge
View from Hippodrome
View from Hilton Room at 6.45 am
Restaurant close to Grand Bazaar
Restaurant in Taksim Square
DOLMABAHCE PALACE
Built in 1856 for Sultan Abdul Mecit the palace has more in common with Paris Opera than Topkapi Palace.
Its still beautiful though - situated on the Bosphorous shore, set in the gardens and built to impress.
All the clocks in the palace stopped at 9.05 am, the moment at which Ataturk died in the Palace in 1938.
SEA OF MARMARA    
View on Sunset over the Sea of Marmara from Sultanahmet.
It was so beautiful that i kept on shooting & shooting & it came to over 100 photos...
GRAND BAZAAR
There is so much of everything that we got a bit over whelmed...
My favorite selling pitch was "Come, I will sell you something you don't need!"
I had a brilliant idea of buying professional belly dancer costume for 08 Halloween but after trying 3 different one on i got confused and gave up :-(
     
ISTANBUL NIGHTLIFE - thanks to Frank and his friends I had best w-end of 2008! I know its only January but still :-)
Birthday Party
Club BLACK
CLub ???
ULUS 29 Club
   
REINA Club
    
     
Unfortunately that is where my one week stay in Istanbul finishes. It is an amazing city and i had one of the best times in my life.
One week is not enough so I am sure to go back one day...
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