Built between 1460-1478 for Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, Topkapı Palace is definitely one of the crown jewels of Istanbul’s glory. The sprawling grounds have amazing views of the city, but with every amenity available inside, there would have been no reason to leave the grounds! Sultan Mehmed spared no expense in building his dream home–complete … Continue reading The Palace of Sultans
We did a lot of walking around (and there were like 30 in our group, so I’m sure we were quite the spectacle!), but it meant for a lot of great shots of the city. I could babble on and on about all the things we saw, but really the best part about it was just … Continue reading Walkabout in Istanbul
Well, it certainly would not be a trip to Istanbul if you didn’t go to the bazaars! Yes, there are numerous bazaars in Instanbul. Bazaar literally means market and there are many to be found. We went to the two most famous: Kapalı Çarşı and Mısır Çarşısı. The Kapalı Çarşı, or Grand Bazaar, was just that: GRAND. It … Continue reading Amazingly Bazaar
Also known as the Blue Mosque, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque was built from 1609-1616. While seven years may seem like a long time, when you arrive and realize how enormous and intricate it is, you’ll be impressed that it only took seven years! In fact, it makes the neighboring Hagia Sophia look tiny in comparison. … Continue reading The Sultan Ahmed Mosque
Just kidding! I mean, I could easily do it AND provide you with at least 3 pictures per day…but I shall refrain, simply because well, there is a great big world out there to explore! Our first day in Istanbul was all ours. So once we got to the hotel and unpacked our things, we grabbed … Continue reading Istanbul, Part 1 of 78.
I’m not sure why, but I’m having a hard time writing about Istanbul. If I have to be perfectly honest, I think it’s a combination of several things. Such as (thanks for asking!) being scared I’m going to miss something, as well as trying to figure out how to cull down all my photos (I’m … Continue reading Istanbul, An Introduction.
Today Pergamon is known for the extensive amount of ancient ruins still in tact high on the mountain above the modern day Turkish city of Bergama. In its prime, however, it was known for its great library, considered to be second only to the Library of Alexandria, and its Asclepeion, which was considered to be the … Continue reading Pergamon
Since I spoke briefly about it in the last post, I thought I’d follow up with a few pictures of Assos. Assos is a present day seaside resort, known best for its Temple of Athena and the Academy of Assos, which was founded by Aristotle. We actually didn’t spend a lot of time in Assos, … Continue reading Assos
Oh the wheels on the bus go round and round… round and round… round and round…presuming, of course, the bus actually starts. But I’m jumping ahead, so let me rewind a bit. When April and I arrived in Istanbul, we were happily greeted at the airport and taken to our hotel. Everything in Istanbul went smoothly–more … Continue reading Turkish Time & A Wonky Bus
The Epicurious Texan 