Istanbul, Turkey.
The history, the sites, the food, the bustle, the east-meets-west. Here’s a fitting description the Istanbul energy from Turkish author, Elif Shafak:
“Perhaps the very first thing to grasp about this mesmerizing metropolis is that there is no such thing as Istanbul. In truth, there are multiple Istanbuls — clashing, competing, struggling and, at times, coexisting. This is a liquid city, where nothing is yet settled. Imbued with a restless energy, spanning two continents, it is constantly changing, still searching for itself.”
Istanbul houses a massive 16 million people on the border where Asia and Europe collide.
Our last stop in Turkey, we saw and did a LOT: the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, the Basilica Cistern, Istanbul Modern art museum, the Illusion Museum, a Turkish bath, and boat ride on the Bosphorus. After a daily Turkish breakfast spread at our hotel, we ate lots of chicken döner kebabs, köfte meatballs, and various forms of bread.
Green Mansion, our Istanbul hotel
tiny döner kebab on the corner
Blue Mosque
happy dogs everywhere
Josh picked up something he dropped, so got an impromptu shoe shine
börek
Istanbul Modern art museum
Illusion Museum
face you make when you order tacos at an Irish pub in Istanbul :/
dried mangos, figs, and dates
women require head coverings in the mosque
rug demonstration (we didn't buy)
fresh juice
Hagia Sophia
simit (pretzels with sesame seeds) and cinnamon rolls
out for köfte (spiced meat balls)
boat on the Bosphorus
Galata Tower
Atatürk, first president of Turkey
Timberwolves game
Topkapi Palace
one long, shared napkin to be placed on laps
86 karat diamond
16th century Koran
the circumcision chamber
relic fragment of John the Baptist's arm and skull bone
staff of the prophet Moses, 13th century BC
footprint of the Prophet Mohammed
sword of the prophet David
stone pot belonging to the prophet Abraham
a letter from the prophet Mohammed
sandal of the Prophet Mohammed
labeled, "box"
case for a beard hair of the Prophet Mohammed
sundial
concubine section of the castle, lead by black eunuchs
The Rabbit Hole café
Basilica Cistern
Grand Bazaar
view from Istanbul Modern
the streets and sounds of Istanbul
prayer at Topkapi Palace
the Basilica Cistern
fun in the Illusion Museum
inside Hagia Sophia
paved courtyard of the black eunuchs, Topkapi Palace
room at Topkapi
mirror games
seagulls on the Bosphorous
Istanbul sounds from our hotel room
walking in Istanbul