Visions of Dervishes swirling and Minarets in the sunset with the call to prayer loud and clear from all directions.
It is a bit like that but the Dervishes I missed....
Today I got going real early in the hope of beating the tourist hordes. No such luck in the night three huge ships snuck in, the mob were out. But I got into St Sophia's early and missed most of the hordes.
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| Saint Sophie |
To me Saint Sophia is not AFC it is one of the great engineering achievements of this world. It was originally built in 330 AD by the Roman Emporer Constantine. Constantine commissioned a Physicist and a Mathematician to design the structure.
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| Looking toward the altar area |
Constantine founded the eastern Roman Empire known as the Byzantine Empire and which was around till the Ottoman took over in 1413. It had some shaky times in its history notwithstanding Crusaders and Mongols. However Saint Sophias is the history of Istanbul and the Turkish people. It started life as a Catholic and morphed Orthodox and in 1400 was converted to a Mosque. In 1930 it was closed and became a museum. It really wasn't untl the 1990 that renovations restored it to some of its former glory.It has been hit by numerous earthqulkes and repaired over its life. But it still stands glorious.
As I entered the Building my mind went back to 1973 when Pam, Kellie and I squeezed through and hole in the fence to get in. It was closed to tourists. Inside the building was derelict. Street people used it as a home. It was refreshing to see loads of people enjoying this great monument to man's ingenuity.
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| Some of the crowd |
The Blue Mosque rivals St Sophia but Sophie is my girl.
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| Sultan Ahmet mosque (Blue Mosque) |
I thought it time to get to see some of modern Istanbul. Metro to Cabatas then a fernicular up to Taksim Square in the business district.
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| Taksim Fernicular |
As it was morning tea time. Coffee and Baklava yum.
I was in search of the modern art museum but I walked for miles and could not find it. However I did get to have a look at the old Venetian quarter with the Galata Tower.The streets are so narrow and most one way.
I have never seen a device like this. It,s purpose is to stop traffic from travelling up a one way street.
Rip a $600 Pirelli low profile run flat set of tyres apart real quick. Guess you could call it a fine on the spot.
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| Silent cops |
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| Make damn sure you are going the right way |
Oh honey the tyres are flat.
Oh sorry love I did not see the sign.
It was time to meet Citt coming from Franfurt.
We had a superb dinner in a famous Turkish Lokanta. It was a fitting end and a celebration of Citts achievment in ataining her Master of Science degree.
Tomorrow a train journey to Ezerum East Turkey 36 Hours on a sleeper.
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