Turkey
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On the Other Side of the Golden Horn
More Details: On the Other Side of the Golden HornA visit to Istanbul is not complete without crossing the Golden Horn to the other side of European Istanbul. And it cannot be any easier. A short walk from the Grand Bazaar you can cross the Golden Horn (which back in the day was closed with a long chain to prevent ships from coming in)…
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Love Shopping? I Have a Grand Bazaar for You
More Details: Love Shopping? I Have a Grand Bazaar for YouThis is one of the neatest places to go in Istanbul if you like to shop and haggle, and even if not, it is still quite impressive by its sheer scale in size and offerings. You can almost picture business going on here for centuries! The bazaar is huge – it is a veritable maze…
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Going Under in Istanbul
More Details: Going Under in IstanbulI have shared in other posts about the incredible Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, and the beautiful mosques of Istanbul – definite must-sees in that great city. But be aware, right under your feet could be some of the remnants of good ole Roman engineering: the cisterns of Istanbul. Old cities tend to have lots of…
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The Ottoman Ruler’s Residence: Topkapı Palace
More Details: The Ottoman Ruler’s Residence: Topkapı PalaceTopkapı Palace sits at the entrance to the Golden Horn, an inlet of water that splits the European side of Istanbul. It is located quite close to the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. It was the Ottoman ruler’s humble abode for part of the time they ruled the empire (the rulers eventually moved to…
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Jewels of Istanbul: Its Mosques
More Details: Jewels of Istanbul: Its MosquesDuring my 5-day visit to Istanbul, I had ample time to walk around, often aimlessly, to get to know the city. While some sights were on the must-see list (like the Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace), I also “discovered” places not on my list. I quickly developed an interest in entering the many mosques…
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Boarding Pass Stories: Constantinople! OK, Istanbul
More Details: Boarding Pass Stories: Constantinople! OK, IstanbulThe destination, the when(s), and the reason(s) My knack for taking one trip idea and expanding its scope is not a recent event. That’s how I ended last year exploring a country I may have never visited otherwise: Moldova. It pre-dates my travel blogging days by a bit. As I joined a group of friends…
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Picture of the Week – Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
More Details: Picture of the Week – Hagia Sophia, IstanbulMany moons ago I finally got to see Constantinople, er Byzantium, er Istanbul. After so many years hearing about this place and its history, I finally was going to see face-to-face some of the places I had studied or heard about. At the top of my list: the Hagia Sophia. A monument of Christianity that transcended…