• Three months in Europe
    Note the few blue tiles inside the mosque
    Facing MeccaOstrich eggs to keep the spiders awayLeaving the mosqueThe one piece obeliskA cauldron used to sit atop the there intertwined snakesInside the Haiga SofiaWe are only allowed in the top galleryInscriptions in the lace workNames of the sultanThe incredible domeLeft over gold mosaicLeft over from when this was a cathedralJesus, emperor and empressThese were hidden behind plaster1The cisternLots of coinsSpookyAn upside down medusaNew art

    Istanbul

    August 4 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    One of my favourite cities in the world.

    Not only do I like the old buildings and the food, I also love Turkish people. This is one of my soul cities. ❤️

    We were pretty tired yesterday when we got in so didn’t do much other than a nap and a wander after dinner.

    Today we booked a lovely lady to take us on a tour. We are really close to the Blue mosque and Haiga Sofia so we didn’t wander too far away but managed to speed nearly 5 hrs with our guide. When you come to a place with so much history, having your own guide is a lovely treat.

    I was last in Istanbul exactly 15 years ago just before we came home from Dubai. I deliberately saved some sites for when Paul was with me so I could see something for the first time with him. Mind you I so enjoyed doing the Blue mosque and Haiga Sofia with Paul as the whole process of visiting these buildings is new.

    We spent a lot of time learning about the obelisks in the old hippodrome in between the mosque and Haiga Sofia. You would guess the significance just walking past.

    My highlight today was the cistern. Pity it was so crowded.    Read more