2008 - Turkey

WELCOME to our Photo Gallery on Turkey. For those who traveled with us, we hope these photographs bring back memories of a great trip. For those of you yet to visit Turkey, we hope the imag ...

2009-01-01T18:33:35Z

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WELCOME to our Photo Gallery on Turkey. For those who traveled with us, we hope these photographs bring back memories of a great trip. For those of you yet to visit Turkey, we hope the imag ...

2009-01-01T18:41:55Z

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TURKEY - When we left for Turkey on March 27, 2008, we weren't sure what to expect. The country defies easy description. Both East and West - and in some ways, neither. Secular yet Islamic. ...

2009-01-01T18:24:48Z

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TURKEY - When we left for Turkey on March 27, 2008, we weren't sure what to expect. The country defies easy description. Both East and West - and in some ways, neither. Secular yet Islamic. ...

ISTANBUL - We began our trip in Istanbul, a city caught in the great divide: between East and West, between modern and medieval, between secularism and Islamic fundamentalism. Founded by th ...

2009-01-01T18:36:07Z

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ISTANBUL - We began our trip in Istanbul, a city caught in the great divide: between East and West, between modern and medieval, between secularism and Islamic fundamentalism. Founded by th ...

ISTANBUL - In the first afternoon we explored the city, it was not unusual to see residents in modern dress sharing sidewalks with women draped in black chadors.

2009-01-01T18:42:01Z

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ISTANBUL - In the first afternoon we explored the city, it was not unusual to see residents in modern dress sharing sidewalks with women draped in black chadors.

ISTANBUL - The city is a complex mix of cultures. As we entered on our first day, we saw all the trappings of a modern, urban metropolis - high rise buildings, billboards, and the inevitable ...

2009-01-01T18:23:19Z

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ISTANBUL - The city is a complex mix of cultures. As we entered on our first day, we saw all the trappings of a modern, urban metropolis - high rise buildings, billboards, and the inevitable ...

...Yet, as we began exploring Istanbul on foot, we saw a different city, where despite the intrusion of the modern world, families still cling to long-held traditions and value the life-long ...

2009-01-01T18:41:52Z

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...Yet, as we began exploring Istanbul on foot, we saw a different city, where despite the intrusion of the modern world, families still cling to long-held traditions and value the life-long ...

ISTANBUL - Throughout the city, the past was fused with the present. Here the city's ultra-modern tram passes in front of walls built in the 6th century.

2009-01-01T18:47:08Z

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ISTANBUL - Throughout the city, the past was fused with the present. Here the city's ultra-modern tram passes in front of walls built in the 6th century.

ISTANBUL - Cultural complexity permeates the city. Muslims make up 98% of the population, and we saw many chadors, veils and burkas. Still, the headscarf - which many see as a symbol of gr ...

2009-06-23T07:48:09Z

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ISTANBUL - Cultural complexity permeates the city. Muslims make up 98% of the population, and we saw many chadors, veils and burkas. Still, the headscarf - which many see as a symbol of gr ...

ISTANBUL - We would stay in Istanbul for four days - one at the start of our trip and three at the end. During our stay, we found ourselves just as impressed with the friendliness of the cit ...

2008-12-30T15:30:59Z

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ISTANBUL - We would stay in Istanbul for four days - one at the start of our trip and three at the end. During our stay, we found ourselves just as impressed with the friendliness of the cit ...

ISTANBUL - This is Istanbul's crown jewel. It was first known as Megalo Ekklesia, the "Great Church" of Constantinople. The Greeks called it Hagia Sophia, meaning "Holy Wisdom." The Turkish ...

2009-01-01T18:46:39Z

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ISTANBUL - This is Istanbul's crown jewel. It was first known as Megalo Ekklesia, the "Great Church" of Constantinople. The Greeks called it Hagia Sophia, meaning "Holy Wisdom." The Turkish ...

ISTANBUL - The Hagia Sophia has had three very distinct lives. Built in the 6th century by the Roman Emperor Justinian, it served for 900 years as the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch of Const ...

2009-01-01T18:41:15Z

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ISTANBUL - The Hagia Sophia has had three very distinct lives. Built in the 6th century by the Roman Emperor Justinian, it served for 900 years as the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch of Const ...

ISTANBUL - As impressive as the Hagia Sophia is on the outside, it is the interior that overwhelms. For nearly a thousand years, this was the largest enclosed space in the world. Even toda ...

2009-01-01T18:47:14Z

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ISTANBUL - As impressive as the Hagia Sophia is on the outside, it is the interior that overwhelms. For nearly a thousand years, this was the largest enclosed space in the world. Even toda ...

ISTANBUL - The Hagia Sophia's dome, more than 107 feet wide, was the largest in the world until Brunelleschi built the great dome over the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) in Floren ...

2009-01-01T18:46:29Z

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ISTANBUL - The Hagia Sophia's dome, more than 107 feet wide, was the largest in the world until Brunelleschi built the great dome over the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) in Floren ...

ISTANBUL - Upon seeing the massive sanctuary of the Hagia Sophia with its enormous dome, the magnificent stained glass windows, and golden tile mosaics, the emperor Justinian exclaimed, "Oh ...

2008-12-31T19:19:08Z

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ISTANBUL - Upon seeing the massive sanctuary of the Hagia Sophia with its enormous dome, the magnificent stained glass windows, and golden tile mosaics, the emperor Justinian exclaimed, "Oh ...

ISTANBUL - Suspended high above the Hagia Sophia's cavernous interior are massive disks placed during the time the cathedral was a Muslim mosque. They bear the names of Allah, the Prophet M ...

2009-01-01T18:49:48Z

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ISTANBUL - Suspended high above the Hagia Sophia's cavernous interior are massive disks placed during the time the cathedral was a Muslim mosque. They bear the names of Allah, the Prophet M ...

ISTANBUL - Among the priceless treasures of the Hagia Sophia are exquisite mosaics along the upper walls dating back more than 1400 years to the Roman and Byzantine eras. Because Islam forb ...

2009-01-01T18:49:15Z

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ISTANBUL - Among the priceless treasures of the Hagia Sophia are exquisite mosaics along the upper walls dating back more than 1400 years to the Roman and Byzantine eras. Because Islam forb ...

ISTANBUL - This mosaic depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ-child, Emperor John II Comnenus (1118-1143), and his wife, Empress Eirene.

2009-01-01T18:49:57Z

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ISTANBUL - This mosaic depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ-child, Emperor John II Comnenus (1118-1143), and his wife, Empress Eirene.

ISTANBUL - Among the Hagia Sophia's mosaics is one of Christ flanked by Emperor Constantine IX and his wife Zoe. The fickle queen had three husbands and replaced the head on the mosaic with ...

2009-01-01T18:48:39Z

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ISTANBUL - Among the Hagia Sophia's mosaics is one of Christ flanked by Emperor Constantine IX and his wife Zoe. The fickle queen had three husbands and replaced the head on the mosaic with ...

ISTANBUL - This is the oldest of the surviving mosaics in Hagia Sophia, a 9th century mosaic depicting the Virgin Mary and Christ-child. Located near the peak of one of the semi-domes of the ...

2009-06-23T07:45:08Z

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ISTANBUL - This is the oldest of the surviving mosaics in Hagia Sophia, a 9th century mosaic depicting the Virgin Mary and Christ-child. Located near the peak of one of the semi-domes of the ...

ISTANBUL - In one of Christianity's greatest misdeeds, the 4th Crusaders of the Roman Catholic Church diverted from their mission to retake the Holy Land and instead sacked the Greek Orthodo ...

2009-01-01T18:48:03Z

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ISTANBUL - In one of Christianity's greatest misdeeds, the 4th Crusaders of the Roman Catholic Church diverted from their mission to retake the Holy Land and instead sacked the Greek Orthodo ...

ISTANBUL - The marble column capitals of Hagia Sophia are among the most distinctive examples of the 6th century classical Byzantine art. In the center of many of the columns are imperial mo ...

2009-01-01T18:47:35Z

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ISTANBUL - The marble column capitals of Hagia Sophia are among the most distinctive examples of the 6th century classical Byzantine art. In the center of many of the columns are imperial mo ...

ISTANBUL - We could have spent hours wandering through the corridors of the Hagia Sophia, admiring the centuries-old architecture, the frescoes, mosaics, and elaborate artwork painted on the ...

2009-01-01T18:48:32Z

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ISTANBUL - We could have spent hours wandering through the corridors of the Hagia Sophia, admiring the centuries-old architecture, the frescoes, mosaics, and elaborate artwork painted on the ...

ISTANBUL - Back on the ground floor of the Hagia Sophia, we came across one of two great marble urns in the nave. It dates from Hellenistic or Roman times and may have held holy oil for ano ...

2009-01-01T18:49:04Z

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ISTANBUL - Back on the ground floor of the Hagia Sophia, we came across one of two great marble urns in the nave. It dates from Hellenistic or Roman times and may have held holy oil for ano ...

ISTANBUL - At one corner of the Hagia Sophia is the “crying pillar" with a hole surrounded by a bronze band. Legend says if you put your finger in the moist hole and spin around, your wis ...

2009-01-01T18:43:13Z

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ISTANBUL - At one corner of the Hagia Sophia is the “crying pillar" with a hole surrounded by a bronze band. Legend says if you put your finger in the moist hole and spin around, your wis ...

ISTANBUL - One of the best preserved and most interesting mosaics at the Hagia Sophia is above the exit (and many people miss it). It shows the Virgin Mary between Justinian (to the left) a ...

2009-06-23T07:20:03Z

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ISTANBUL - One of the best preserved and most interesting mosaics at the Hagia Sophia is above the exit (and many people miss it). It shows the Virgin Mary between Justinian (to the left) a ...

ISTANBUL - The Hagia Sophia that rises so majestically today is actually the third church at the site. The original was built in the 4th century by Constantine, the founder of Constantinople ...

2008-12-31T18:16:53Z

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ISTANBUL - The Hagia Sophia that rises so majestically today is actually the third church at the site. The original was built in the 4th century by Constantine, the founder of Constantinople ...

ISTANBUL - Universally acknowledged as one of the great buildings of the world, the Hagia Sophia was one of the finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World but wasn't selected...

2009-01-01T18:28:39Z

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ISTANBUL - Universally acknowledged as one of the great buildings of the world, the Hagia Sophia was one of the finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World but wasn't selected...

...nonetheless, it was one of the most impressive structures we had ever seen - and the perfect backdrop for a self-timed photo.

2009-01-01T18:46:42Z

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...nonetheless, it was one of the most impressive structures we had ever seen - and the perfect backdrop for a self-timed photo.

ISTANBUL - Throughout the city there were other stone legacies of the Byzantine Empire. As we entered the city the first day, we passed by remnants of the ancient walls of Constantinople. ...

2009-01-01T18:24:05Z

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ISTANBUL - Throughout the city there were other stone legacies of the Byzantine Empire. As we entered the city the first day, we passed by remnants of the ancient walls of Constantinople. ...

ISTANBUL - In the center of the Old City, there is a spacious outdoor mall - an expanse of green set in the middle of Sultanahmet Square, the undisputed commercial and religious hub of ancie ...

2009-01-01T18:42:35Z

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ISTANBUL - In the center of the Old City, there is a spacious outdoor mall - an expanse of green set in the middle of Sultanahmet Square, the undisputed commercial and religious hub of ancie ...

ISTANBUL - In the 4th century AD, this Egyptian obelisk stood proudly in the center of the Hippodrome, silently observing the countless chariot races that once careened around it. Its hierog ...

2009-01-01T18:48:53Z

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ISTANBUL - In the 4th century AD, this Egyptian obelisk stood proudly in the center of the Hippodrome, silently observing the countless chariot races that once careened around it. Its hierog ...

ISTANBUL - Three intertwined bronze snakes form the shaft of this column – accounting for its name, the Serpent Column – although their heads have been missing since the Ottoman period ( ...

2009-01-01T18:42:23Z

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ISTANBUL - Three intertwined bronze snakes form the shaft of this column – accounting for its name, the Serpent Column – although their heads have been missing since the Ottoman period ( ...

ISTANBUL - At the far end of the former Hippodrome stands another obelisk. Built in the 10th century by the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus, it was originally covered with gilded bronze ...

2009-01-01T18:43:46Z

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ISTANBUL - At the far end of the former Hippodrome stands another obelisk. Built in the 10th century by the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus, it was originally covered with gilded bronze ...

ISTANBUL - Perhaps nothing better typified Roman engineering than the aqueduct. Even though old Constantinople was surrounded on three sides by water, the city relied on some of the world's ...

2009-01-01T18:52:27Z

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ISTANBUL - Perhaps nothing better typified Roman engineering than the aqueduct. Even though old Constantinople was surrounded on three sides by water, the city relied on some of the world's ...

ISTANBUL - All that water had to go somewhere, and the engineers of 6th century Constantinople had an ingenious concept - massive underground cisterns. Beneath the core of the old city is b ...

2009-01-01T18:43:52Z

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ISTANBUL - All that water had to go somewhere, and the engineers of 6th century Constantinople had an ingenious concept - massive underground cisterns. Beneath the core of the old city is b ...

ISTANBUL - Strangely, the existence of the Basilica Cistern had been lost to history by the time the Ottomans came to power, even though residents had sunk wells into it and routinely drew t ...

2009-01-01T18:50:01Z

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ISTANBUL - Strangely, the existence of the Basilica Cistern had been lost to history by the time the Ottomans came to power, even though residents had sunk wells into it and routinely drew t ...

ISTANBUL - The variety of designs for the columns supporting the ceiling of the Basilica Cistern almost certainly means that the supports were collected from ancient buildings. This column ...

2009-01-01T18:51:40Z

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ISTANBUL - The variety of designs for the columns supporting the ceiling of the Basilica Cistern almost certainly means that the supports were collected from ancient buildings. This column ...

ISTANBUL - The Basilica Cistern is an amazing - and eerily strange - place on its own, but adding to its strangeness are two ancient stone heads that the Byzantine engineers "recycled" to us ...

2009-01-01T18:42:10Z

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ISTANBUL - The Basilica Cistern is an amazing - and eerily strange - place on its own, but adding to its strangeness are two ancient stone heads that the Byzantine engineers "recycled" to us ...

ISTANBUL - The two heads - called the "Medusa Heads" - were revealed when the water level was lowered during a major restoration of the Basilica Cistern in 1987. It is likely that the heads ...

2009-01-01T18:48:06Z

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ISTANBUL - The two heads - called the "Medusa Heads" - were revealed when the water level was lowered during a major restoration of the Basilica Cistern in 1987. It is likely that the heads ...

ISTANBUL - In 1453 - May 29th, to be exact - a profound change occur in Constantinople. Ottoman Turks led by Mehmed II finally succeeded in breaking through the previously inpenetrable wall ...

2008-12-31T15:54:51Z

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ISTANBUL - In 1453 - May 29th, to be exact - a profound change occur in Constantinople. Ottoman Turks led by Mehmed II finally succeeded in breaking through the previously inpenetrable wall ...

ISTANBUL - The Muslim conquest of Constantinople in 1453 set off a wave of mosque building. Today the most famous is this supremely elegant mosque – one of the world's best – just across ...

2009-01-01T18:47:10Z

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ISTANBUL - The Muslim conquest of Constantinople in 1453 set off a wave of mosque building. Today the most famous is this supremely elegant mosque – one of the world's best – just across ...

ISTANBUL - Sultan Ahmet wanted his mosque to be grander than the Hagia Sophia. The story is that the Sultan ordered a minaret to be made of gold, or "altin" in Turkish. But the architect tho ...

2008-12-31T16:10:23Z

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ISTANBUL - Sultan Ahmet wanted his mosque to be grander than the Hagia Sophia. The story is that the Sultan ordered a minaret to be made of gold, or "altin" in Turkish. But the architect tho ...

ISTANBUL - The Blue Mosque was built on the site of the Great Palace of the Byzantine emperors. Much of the southern side of the mosque rests on the foundations of the Great Palace. Several ...

2008-12-31T11:35:52Z

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ISTANBUL - The Blue Mosque was built on the site of the Great Palace of the Byzantine emperors. Much of the southern side of the mosque rests on the foundations of the Great Palace. Several ...

ISTANBUL - As in virtually every mosque, verses from the Qur'an are inscribed above the main entrance to the Blue Mosque.

2009-01-01T18:28:50Z

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ISTANBUL - As in virtually every mosque, verses from the Qur'an are inscribed above the main entrance to the Blue Mosque.

ISTANBUL - Many visitors are surprised to find that the "Blue Mosque" is really grey. Its large interior courtyard is almost as large as the mosque itself and surrounded by a continuous vau ...

2009-01-01T18:27:39Z

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ISTANBUL - Many visitors are surprised to find that the "Blue Mosque" is really grey. Its large interior courtyard is almost as large as the mosque itself and surrounded by a continuous vau ...

ISTANBUL - The spacious interior of the Blue Mosque. Some 260 stained glass windows. The low-hanging chandeliers were designed for oil lamps with floating wicks; now they hold electric bulbs ...

2009-01-01T14:23:50Z

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ISTANBUL - The spacious interior of the Blue Mosque. Some 260 stained glass windows. The low-hanging chandeliers were designed for oil lamps with floating wicks; now they hold electric bulbs ...

ISTANBUL - The "blue" of the Blue Mosque comes from its blue tiles, 20,000 of them decorate the interior walls and ceiling. Typical of the 16th century Iznik design, the tiles feature flower ...

2009-01-01T14:31:05Z

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ISTANBUL - The "blue" of the Blue Mosque comes from its blue tiles, 20,000 of them decorate the interior walls and ceiling. Typical of the 16th century Iznik design, the tiles feature flower ...

ISTANBUL - The detailed designs throughout the interior of the Blue Mosque add to its grandeur. The decorations include verses from the Qur'an, many of them made by Seyyid Kasim Gubari, reg ...

2009-01-01T14:29:21Z

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ISTANBUL - The detailed designs throughout the interior of the Blue Mosque add to its grandeur. The decorations include verses from the Qur'an, many of them made by Seyyid Kasim Gubari, reg ...

ISTANBUL - A wood railing separated us from the apse, the area reserved for worshippers. At prayer times, this area would be packed with worshippers, but during our visit, there was just a ...

2008-12-19T13:24:12Z

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ISTANBUL - A wood railing separated us from the apse, the area reserved for worshippers. At prayer times, this area would be packed with worshippers, but during our visit, there was just a ...

ISTANBUL - As we exited the Blue Mosque, I struck up a conversation with a very nice family on vacation from - of all places - Iran. They proudly invited me to visit their country next...de ...

2008-12-19T13:20:17Z

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ISTANBUL - As we exited the Blue Mosque, I struck up a conversation with a very nice family on vacation from - of all places - Iran. They proudly invited me to visit their country next...de ...

ISTANBUL - But they were most proud of their new baby - who obviously wasn't as nearly impressed with the Blue Mosque as we were.

2008-12-19T13:25:00Z

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ISTANBUL - But they were most proud of their new baby - who obviously wasn't as nearly impressed with the Blue Mosque as we were.

ISTANBUL - The Blue Mosque was the pinnacle of Ottoman architecture. It also marked the beginning of the empire's decline. Its construction exhausted the treasury, and the Ottoman Empire en ...

2009-06-23T10:00:10Z

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ISTANBUL - The Blue Mosque was the pinnacle of Ottoman architecture. It also marked the beginning of the empire's decline. Its construction exhausted the treasury, and the Ottoman Empire en ...

ISTANBUL - But it seems that around each corner of Istanbul stands another mosque, and one of the most impressive was not on our tour itinerary. The Süleymaniye Camii was within a few bloc ...

2009-01-01T18:21:59Z

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ISTANBUL - But it seems that around each corner of Istanbul stands another mosque, and one of the most impressive was not on our tour itinerary. The Süleymaniye Camii was within a few bloc ...

ISTANBUL - The Süleymaniye Camii was designed by Mimar Sinan, often referred to as the "Ottoman Michelangelo." As the basis for the mosque, Sinan used the plan for the Hagia Sophia - built ...

2008-12-31T11:40:40Z

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ISTANBUL - The Süleymaniye Camii was designed by Mimar Sinan, often referred to as the "Ottoman Michelangelo." As the basis for the mosque, Sinan used the plan for the Hagia Sophia - built ...

ISTANBUL - In the enclosed garden behind the Süleymaniye Camii is a graveyard with distinctive Turkish headstones.

2009-01-01T18:23:13Z

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ISTANBUL - In the enclosed garden behind the Süleymaniye Camii is a graveyard with distinctive Turkish headstones.

ISTANBUL - At the rear of the cemetary are the mausoleums of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent and his wife Roxalane.

2009-01-01T18:25:44Z

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ISTANBUL - At the rear of the cemetary are the mausoleums of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent and his wife Roxalane.

ISTANBUL - We had wanted to explore more of the Suleimanye Camii - the tomb of the great architect Sinan is on the grounds - but as seems to be our luck these days, much of the mosque was en ...

2009-01-01T18:27:45Z

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ISTANBUL - We had wanted to explore more of the Suleimanye Camii - the tomb of the great architect Sinan is on the grounds - but as seems to be our luck these days, much of the mosque was en ...

ISTANBUL - One of the most interesting of Istanbul's mosques is the New Mosque at one end of the Galata Bridge - "new" in name only because construction actually started in 1597 before many ...

2009-01-01T18:41:52Z

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ISTANBUL - One of the most interesting of Istanbul's mosques is the New Mosque at one end of the Galata Bridge - "new" in name only because construction actually started in 1597 before many ...

ISTANBUL - It's always interesting to watch the daily life of a modern city take place before a backdrop that is 400 years old.

2009-01-01T18:28:56Z

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ISTANBUL - It's always interesting to watch the daily life of a modern city take place before a backdrop that is 400 years old.

ISTANBUL - One last monument on the old Hippodrome site is worth mentioning: This fountain seemed a little out of place surrounded by Muslim minarets and Egyptian obelisks. It was a g ...

2008-12-19T13:17:26Z

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ISTANBUL - One last monument on the old Hippodrome site is worth mentioning: This fountain seemed a little out of place surrounded by Muslim minarets and Egyptian obelisks. It was a g ...

ISTANBUL - The day we visited the Topkapi Palace - the opulent former palace of the sultans - the Istanbul weather had turned "bulutlu" (cloudy) on its way to becoming "yagmurlu" (rainy) - m ...

2009-01-01T14:30:56Z

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ISTANBUL - The day we visited the Topkapi Palace - the opulent former palace of the sultans - the Istanbul weather had turned "bulutlu" (cloudy) on its way to becoming "yagmurlu" (rainy) - m ...

...but that didn't dampen the spirits of the school kids we met at the front gate who seemed more excited at the chance to talk to Americans than to see the center of the once-great Ottoman ...

2009-01-01T14:23:18Z

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...but that didn't dampen the spirits of the school kids we met at the front gate who seemed more excited at the chance to talk to Americans than to see the center of the once-great Ottoman ...

TOPKAPI PALACE - The word Topkapi means "canon door" – a reference to one of the gates on the old Byzantine wall along the Sea of Marmara. Topkapi Palace stands on the ruins of Byzantium, ...

2008-12-19T13:04:36Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - The word Topkapi means "canon door" – a reference to one of the gates on the old Byzantine wall along the Sea of Marmara. Topkapi Palace stands on the ruins of Byzantium, ...

TOPKAPI PALACE - Unlike many European castles, the Topkapi Palace was gradually enlarged over the centuries with each sultan adding his own flourishes. Today the Palace is a series of courty ...

2008-12-19T13:05:52Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - Unlike many European castles, the Topkapi Palace was gradually enlarged over the centuries with each sultan adding his own flourishes. Today the Palace is a series of courty ...

TOPKAPI PALACE - Here sultans resided in all their splendor along with the ministeries of their government and their imperial harem.

2009-01-01T14:32:25Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - Here sultans resided in all their splendor along with the ministeries of their government and their imperial harem.

TOPKAPI PALACE - One of the exquisite entrances in the inner sanctums of Topkapi Palace - the Entrance to the Hirka-i Saadet apartments that once housed sacred (or Holy) Relics.

2009-01-01T14:25:27Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - One of the exquisite entrances in the inner sanctums of Topkapi Palace - the Entrance to the Hirka-i Saadet apartments that once housed sacred (or Holy) Relics.

TOPKAPI PALACE - There was enough gold leaf throughout the Palace to coat a good size forest.

2009-01-01T14:28:01Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - There was enough gold leaf throughout the Palace to coat a good size forest.

TOPKAPI PALACE - Nowhere was the opulence of the Topkapi Palace more evident than in the wall and ceiling decorations of the interior rooms.

2009-01-01T14:33:01Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - Nowhere was the opulence of the Topkapi Palace more evident than in the wall and ceiling decorations of the interior rooms.

TOPKAPI PALACE - This gold-plated grill once adorned the window to the Sultan's personal residence in the Topkapi Palace. From it came the term "a gilded cage."

2009-01-01T14:27:55Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - This gold-plated grill once adorned the window to the Sultan's personal residence in the Topkapi Palace. From it came the term "a gilded cage."

TOPKAPI PALACE - The entrance to the Circumcision Room - a kiosk dedicated to the circumcision of young princes - was decorated with a mixed collection of blue tiles. Interestingly, these a ...

2009-01-01T14:25:36Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - The entrance to the Circumcision Room - a kiosk dedicated to the circumcision of young princes - was decorated with a mixed collection of blue tiles. Interestingly, these a ...

TOPKAPI PALACE - The interior of the Circumcision Room at the Topkapi Palace was also covered with floor-to-ceiling tiles.

2008-12-31T11:29:57Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - The interior of the Circumcision Room at the Topkapi Palace was also covered with floor-to-ceiling tiles.

TOPKAPI PALACE - The Topkapi Palace was positioned on one of Istanbul's seven hills with a long walkway overlooking the Bosphorus. On any warm, sunny day, one of the highlights would be to ...

2009-01-01T14:33:12Z

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TOPKAPI PALACE - The Topkapi Palace was positioned on one of Istanbul's seven hills with a long walkway overlooking the Bosphorus. On any warm, sunny day, one of the highlights would be to ...

ISTANBUL - As we were leaving the Topkapi Palace, a black limousine pulled up and out stepped a distinguished, impeccably-tailored VIP. Our guide informed us that it was the mayor of Istanb ...

2008-12-31T11:24:19Z

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ISTANBUL - As we were leaving the Topkapi Palace, a black limousine pulled up and out stepped a distinguished, impeccably-tailored VIP. Our guide informed us that it was the mayor of Istanb ...

The same photo without the captions (in case, Paul, you would like a copy for your scrapbook).

2009-01-01T14:24:56Z

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The same photo without the captions (in case, Paul, you would like a copy for your scrapbook).

ISTANBUL - This is the office building of the Mayor of Istanbul. A huge banner promoted the start of the city's annual Tulip Festival...

2009-01-01T18:44:13Z

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ISTANBUL - This is the office building of the Mayor of Istanbul. A huge banner promoted the start of the city's annual Tulip Festival...

...and what a sight it was. Literally hundreds of thousands - perhaps millions - of tulips coming into bloom throughout the city, in every park and along the medians of every major roadway ...

2009-01-01T18:42:41Z

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...and what a sight it was. Literally hundreds of thousands - perhaps millions - of tulips coming into bloom throughout the city, in every park and along the medians of every major roadway ...

Turns out that Turkey - not the Netherlands - is the original home of the tulip. In 1556 Busbeq (A.G. Busbequius), the ambassador sent by the Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I to the Sultan of th ...

2009-01-01T18:47:15Z

1000places
Turns out that Turkey - not the Netherlands - is the original home of the tulip. In 1556 Busbeq (A.G. Busbequius), the ambassador sent by the Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I to the Sultan of th ...

Ironically, Istanbul now purchases about half of its tulip bulbs from the Netherlands.

2009-01-01T18:43:14Z

1000places
Ironically, Istanbul now purchases about half of its tulip bulbs from the Netherlands.

Nonetheless, April is the month of çiçekler, meaning the flowers, in Turkey. And the signature flower of Istanbul is the tulip. When we were there, the city was in full bloom - and in ful ...

2009-01-01T18:40:45Z

1000places
Nonetheless, April is the month of çiçekler, meaning the flowers, in Turkey. And the signature flower of Istanbul is the tulip. When we were there, the city was in full bloom - and in ful ...

And on one of our three final days in Turkey, the weather cleared, the sun came out, the sky turned blue. And it was a great day to stroll the tulip-lined pathways of an Istanbul park.

2009-01-01T18:46:03Z

1000places
And on one of our three final days in Turkey, the weather cleared, the sun came out, the sky turned blue. And it was a great day to stroll the tulip-lined pathways of an Istanbul park.

ISTANBUL - Speaking of strolling, we took advantage of the warm spring day to stroll across the Galata Bridge, spanning the Golden Horn, an estuary that separates the "old" and "new" parts o ...

2009-01-01T18:47:59Z

1000places
ISTANBUL - Speaking of strolling, we took advantage of the warm spring day to stroll across the Galata Bridge, spanning the Golden Horn, an estuary that separates the "old" and "new" parts o ...

ISTANBUL - Turks line the Galata Bridge, casting their fishing lines into the Golden Horn in hopes of landing an "istavrit" a local steel colored mackerel. Most of these fishermen will sell ...

2009-01-01T18:43:35Z

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ISTANBUL - Turks line the Galata Bridge, casting their fishing lines into the Golden Horn in hopes of landing an "istavrit" a local steel colored mackerel. Most of these fishermen will sell ...

ISTANBUL - As we walked across the Galata Bridge, a young girl approached Jeanne and asked for help on her homework assignment - she had to interview someone in English. She had her questio ...

2009-01-01T18:36:54Z

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ISTANBUL - As we walked across the Galata Bridge, a young girl approached Jeanne and asked for help on her homework assignment - she had to interview someone in English. She had her questio ...

ISTANBUL - As the young girl recited her questions to Jeanne, her proud father recorded the entire interview with his small video camera.

2009-01-01T18:47:03Z

1000places
ISTANBUL - As the young girl recited her questions to Jeanne, her proud father recorded the entire interview with his small video camera.

ISTANBUL - As we discovered during our walks around the city, you won't go hungry in Istanbul. Streetside vendors serve up döner kebabs - filets of meat stacked on a vertical spit and roast ...

2009-01-01T18:43:56Z

1000places
ISTANBUL - As we discovered during our walks around the city, you won't go hungry in Istanbul. Streetside vendors serve up döner kebabs - filets of meat stacked on a vertical spit and roast ...

THE GRAND BAZAAR - It is the mother of all markets, the birthplace of the mall, the shopaholics' mecca. For 600 years visitors to Istanbul - whether they came on foot, on camel, or on jet p ...

2009-01-01T18:48:12Z

1000places
THE GRAND BAZAAR - It is the mother of all markets, the birthplace of the mall, the shopaholics' mecca. For 600 years visitors to Istanbul - whether they came on foot, on camel, or on jet p ...

THE GRAND BAZAAR - Its sheer immensity is overwhelming. This "city within a city" is a maze of arcades and passageways lined with over 4,000 shops selling everything from carpets to ceramics ...

2008-12-30T16:00:16Z

1000places
THE GRAND BAZAAR - Its sheer immensity is overwhelming. This "city within a city" is a maze of arcades and passageways lined with over 4,000 shops selling everything from carpets to ceramics ...

THE GRAND BAZAAR - Virtually all of it is covered by arched, colorfully painted ceilings and hundreds of domes, many of which are covered in lead.

2008-12-30T15:55:27Z

1000places
THE GRAND BAZAAR - Virtually all of it is covered by arched, colorfully painted ceilings and hundreds of domes, many of which are covered in lead.

THE GRAND BAZAAR - Inside virtually anything that can be sold can be found somewhere within this vast, multi-textured labyrinth of stores, stalls, and stands....

2008-12-30T16:02:53Z

1000places
THE GRAND BAZAAR - Inside virtually anything that can be sold can be found somewhere within this vast, multi-textured labyrinth of stores, stalls, and stands....

...from jewelry (which in terms of stores, seems to be second only to souvenir stands)...

2008-12-30T15:42:01Z

1000places
...from jewelry (which in terms of stores, seems to be second only to souvenir stands)...

...to brightly painted dishes...

2008-12-30T15:45:07Z

1000places
...to brightly painted dishes...

...to belly dancing costumes...

2008-12-30T15:48:15Z

1000places
...to belly dancing costumes...

...to the ubiquitous blue-glass "evil eye" brooches that Turks wear and display to ward off the malicious gaze of evil-doers...

2008-12-30T15:48:52Z

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...to the ubiquitous blue-glass "evil eye" brooches that Turks wear and display to ward off the malicious gaze of evil-doers...

...to Turkish slippers of any shape, size and color...

2008-12-30T15:39:41Z

1000places
...to Turkish slippers of any shape, size and color...

...in fact, to footwear of any type and...uh... style.

2008-12-30T15:40:12Z

1000places
...in fact, to footwear of any type and...uh... style.

In the Grand Bazaar, you can buy a Turkish carpet...

2008-12-30T15:49:00Z

1000places
In the Grand Bazaar, you can buy a Turkish carpet...

...or have your name written in Turkish calligraphy suitable for framing.

2008-12-30T15:46:49Z

1000places
...or have your name written in Turkish calligraphy suitable for framing.

THE GRAND BAZAAR - Nearly 25,000 people work in the Grand Bazaar and "couriers" for the local restaurants and teahouses continually bring the shop owners their morning and afternoon Turkish ...

2008-12-30T15:45:50Z

1000places
THE GRAND BAZAAR - Nearly 25,000 people work in the Grand Bazaar and "couriers" for the local restaurants and teahouses continually bring the shop owners their morning and afternoon Turkish ...

ISTANBUL - In Istanbul, food and drink seem to be in constant motion. Waiters perpetually carry tea to patrons inside the Grand Bazaar while outside, a carefully-stacked pile of sesame bage ...

2008-12-30T15:30:15Z

1000places
ISTANBUL - In Istanbul, food and drink seem to be in constant motion. Waiters perpetually carry tea to patrons inside the Grand Bazaar while outside, a carefully-stacked pile of sesame bage ...