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| The splendor of the Blue Mosque |
Dear friends and family, if you're thinking about visiting Istanbul and you'd like to meet up with me, the answer is Yes. I'll be there.
Our friends from the States passed through for a few glorious child-free days (and lucky for me it's a cheap direct flight from Tbilisi).
Istanbul is really impressive. It's an intense city and a fascinating display of East meets West.
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| Blue Mosque interior |
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| This tilework was in the Sultan's Harem, but it's similar to what you'd find in the Blue Mosque. |
Hagia Sofia was built by order of Justinian in the 6th century. After nearly 1000 years of functioning as the center of Eastern Orthodoxy it was overtaken by the Ottoman Turks who converted it to a mosque. Since 1935 it has been preserved as a museum (to be honest, I'm not sure how else they could afford to maintain it. It requires constant renovations).
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| Hagia Sofia does not disappoint; the juxtaposition of Christian and Muslim symbols is significant. |
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| Even with decaying panels, the colors were brilliant. |
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| Stunning mosaics, unintentionally protected by a plaster layer applied when it functioned as a mosque, were revealed in renovations. |
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| Friends in foreign lands. So great to reconnect. |
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| Looking out over the Sea of Marmara |
Geographically, Istanbul is unique because it's the only naturally occurring transcontinental city; it's located in both Europe and Asia. The two halves are separated by the Bosporus Strait which leads to the Black Sea. There are commuter boats running back and forth continuously, so it's easy to visit both parts.
I had a great visit, I was particularly impressed by Turkish hospitality, salesmanship, all things spice/tea/dried fruit/nut-related, and of course, the shopping.
That's a beautiful candid photo of you!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteHey, we were just there too. How come your pictures are so much nicer!? Could it be nobody tugging on your arm??
ReplyDeleteI have purchased a couple photo-video technology items in the last year that were designed in Europe but built in - and shipped from - Turkey. They have the nice European craftsmanship I like. It looks like Turkey's labor force is finally up to world standards.
ReplyDeleteTurkey has a huge manufacturing industry, compared with Georgia which has practically none. Most of the things you buy in the market here come from Turkey, and according to some, Turkish goods are synonymous with junk. But I think in reality it's more like China's relationship with America: a huge majority of goods are imported, and it comes in at all levels of quality, including junk.
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