In case you hadn't seen my occasional Twitter post last month, I thought I would regale everyone with pictures from the fabulous Istanbul, otherwise renamed by me as the 'Disneyland of Turkey' ;)
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| View from Topkapi Palace |
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| Hagia Sophia |
Istanbul is absolutely infused with history, right through from the Byzantium period (AD) to muslim life as it is today. It has seen Greek settlers, conversion to Christianity, Ottoman rule, Sultans, and chariot racing in the main square. The Hagia Sophia, above, was once the world's largest cathedral, although today it exists as a mosque. The Blue Mosque below is named after the blue tiles that adorn the inside, and the chatting at prayer time was magical.
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| Blue Mosque at night |
Although we only had a few days there, we managed to get around and see quite a bit. Topkapi Palace had some stunning views out over the Bosphorous, which would have made a pretty stunning home for a Sultan and his harem. Although the dedicated circumcision room was a little much for my taste!
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| Lots and lots of Turkish Delight! |
The food there was also stunning with so many spices, street food like roasted chestnuts, plenty of Turkish delight and coffee that will keep you awake for days! All in all, it was a pretty cool way to spend a big birthday :)
Photos by my lovely other half, Dani Riot.
