Firtana Valley, Turkey
17 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Beautiful valley running from the Black Sea into turkey. Zil castle sits on a crag near the top. First are two looks at the valley. Then a couple looks at the castle. This castle is about the mostBaca lagi
Göreme, Cappadocia
19 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Cappadocia is an extraordinary place. I'm told that this was a lake that volcanic eruptions filled with ash, drying the lake. Later eruptions were magma, compressing the ash. Differential erosionBaca lagi
Kaymakli Underground City
20 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Cappadocia is well known for its underground cities, used for protection. This is one of those. Only a few if the 8 levels are excavated. Some 8,000 people could live down here for up to 6 months. ThBaca lagi
Ilhara valley
20 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Beautiful valley in Cappadocia. They call it their local grand canyon. The pics are various views of the valley.
Many churches were built along here. See another post for St. George church.
St George Church
20 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Unfortunately, the nave and the apse are collapsed, but many original frescoes remain. That is most of the pictures. The last is part of the surviving necropolis. All bones have been moved to aBaca lagi
Selime monastery
20 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Ancient monastery along the silk road, named for the sultan whose tomb is across the road. Innumerable conversions of traders, travelers, etc. to Christianity occurred here, with the converts takingBaca lagi
Cappadocia stone churches
21 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Göreme has an open air museum the encompasses an area of stone carved residences and churches. These are pictures in several of those churches. Many of them had no photo signs. All are small by ourBaca lagi
Semâzen at Saruhan caravansarai
21 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Semâzen or whirling dervishes enact the revolving of all levels of creation, from atomic structure to resurrection.
The first pic is some me of the dervishes. The rest of the pics are of the oldBaca lagi
Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul
23 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
A main square on the Sultanahmet section of Istanbul, surrounded by Hagia Sophia (picture 1), tomb of the sultan (2), the Blue Mosque (3), Hammam,Aka Turkish baths (4), and Topkapi palace. The fifthBaca lagi
Blue Mosque
24 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Large mosque at sultanahmet square. Legend has it the after the fall of Constantinople, the sultan decided that if th Christians could build something as magnificent as Hagia Sophia, the Muslims couldBaca lagi
Hagia Sophia
24 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Another one of those places where neither books nor documentaries do justice to what this place actually is. Even with restoration work ongoing, this is a spectacular building. It's especially hard toBaca lagi
Hagia Sophia mosaics
24 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Originally, Hagia Sophia was completely covered inside with art. However, given the Islamic proscription of human faces in art, it was all covered over when this was converted to a mosque. Now that itBaca lagi
Topkapi Palace
24 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
The residence of the sultan and headquarters for the Ottoman Empire from the 15th century through WW 1 when the Ottomans were on the losing side.
The first pic is the main gate. Next are 3 examples ofBaca lagi
Topkapi harem
24 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
Most of us have envisioned what a harem is. Me too, until today. Now I have visited an historic one. It is most luxurious.
The first pic is in the sultan's chamber. Next is the central courtyard.Baca lagi
On the Bosporus
24 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
A late afternoon boat trip on the Bosporus Strait. Remember that Istanbul is the only city on 2 continents. The Bosporus Strait is the line between Europe and Asia.
The first picture is Hagia SophiaBaca lagi
Dolmabahçe Palace
25 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
Summer palace on the shore of the Bosporus. It's hard to fathom that a place as large and ornate as this is not the main residence and administration center for the empire. Topkapi fills that role. InBaca lagi
Taksim Square and Galata Tower
25 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Main meeting point in Istanbul and center for night life. That's the first 2 pics. There is also a pedestrian shopping street that begins here. That is the third pic. The Galata tower, like Taksim isBaca lagi
Grand Bazaar
26 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
This is the big and famous bazaar of Istanbul. The first picture is one of the gates. Then several pictures are from inside to give a sense of the building and the place. This is my first bazaar/soukBaca lagi
Old Istanbul
26 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Several glimpses of the old town section of Istanbul away from the main sights. The first two are of the Spice Bazaar, aka Egyptian Bazaar. Similar, but smaller and newer, the spice bazaar was greatBaca lagi
Hagia Eirene
26 Ogos 2019, Turki ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
For all you church history buffs, it is my understanding that this is where the council of Constantinople was held, but I haven't been able to verify that. This is one church that was not converted toBaca lagi
Nagarkot, Nepal
29 Ogos 2019, Nepal ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Nagarkot is a very small village up on a ridge outside of Kathmandu. The main draw is the scenery, but I was there on a day with low clouds. The pictures give a sense of the scenery as the air clearedBaca lagi

























































































































