Turkey is a very interesting country. I was surprised at how clean and "western" it was. It is quite a melting pot of cultures. There are mosques, churches, synagogues palaces, castles, and minarets poking above the skyline everywhere. It is the only city in the world that straddles two continents. It's strategic location has made it an important city of many major civilizations through history - Greek, Roman, Persian, Ottoman and Byzantine Empires have from here.
We saw the Blue Mosque. It is actually blue on the inside not on the outside. That is because of the azure blue tiles that cover the walls. We had to remove our shoes to enter. The Hagia (eye ya) Sophia, built in the 6th century, was the largest cathedral in the world for thousands of years. For a time it was turned into a mosque but is now a museum. The Sultans built the Topkapi Palace. We visited the Harem and the National Treasury there. The treasury contains the Spoonmaker's Diamond, an 86 carat beauty! Our final stop was the Grand Bazarr. After listening to a carpet demonstration, during which they served hot apple tea, we did some shopping. I didn't buy a carpet though.
We saw the Blue Mosque. It is actually blue on the inside not on the outside. That is because of the azure blue tiles that cover the walls. We had to remove our shoes to enter. The Hagia (eye ya) Sophia, built in the 6th century, was the largest cathedral in the world for thousands of years. For a time it was turned into a mosque but is now a museum. The Sultans built the Topkapi Palace. We visited the Harem and the National Treasury there. The treasury contains the Spoonmaker's Diamond, an 86 carat beauty! Our final stop was the Grand Bazarr. After listening to a carpet demonstration, during which they served hot apple tea, we did some shopping. I didn't buy a carpet though.
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