These “apartments” on the upper floor of the harem were reserved for the Sultan’s favorites. Except for being virtually prisoners and sex slaves, I guess the job had some perks…. 

The entrance to the “forbidden city”, aka the harem.  

I found this tree worthy of a photo. From the grounds of the Topkapi Palace. 

The Sultan-eye view of Instanbul from Topkapi Palace….. 

There was so much to see and so little time….but I have to say for a real glimpse of the lifestyle of the Sultan’s of the Ottoman Empire, the Topkapi Palace was the most interesting and impressive…. 

Looking across the Bosphorus to Asia. Instanbul in the only city that spans two continents…… 

A Turkish toilet. Fortunately, this is the only one of this type I encountered. I’m not sure I trust my sense of balance well enough to attempt putting it to use…. 

The Rumeli Fortress, built by Mehmet the Conqueror in only four months on the Bosphorus….. 

A shop in the Egyptian Spice Market….Carol bought saffron, pine nuts, and apple tea…. 

Our hotel, the St. Sophia. Not exactly the Ritz, but as Hemingway might say it was a clean well-lighted place. And the location was perfect. In the heart of the old city, right next door to the Hagia Sophia….. 

And the shopping experience was quite unique. Carol with a shopkeeper named Erol at the Arasta Bazaar, which is much more laid back than the Grand Bazaar. Our experience was that you didn’t just make a purchase, you had tea and a chat as part of the transaction… 

On the “Golden Horn” of the Bosphorus… 

A mural inside the St. Sophia…. 

An example of one of the surviving mosaics inside St. Sophia. They were covered in plaster when the cathedral was converted to a mosque. 

The Hagia Sophia (St. Sophia) completed in 537 during Justinian’s reign. The minaret’s were added after Mehmet II conquered the city and in praise to Allah converted it to a mosque. Very impressive to view, and definitely the oldest structure I had ever set foot in. The history in those walls could almost be felt….. 

The Blue Mosque, constructed at the bidding of Sultan Ahmet I between 1609-1617. 

The view from our hotel window. Yep, the trams made some noise as they passed. But in the distance you can see two of the six minarets that grace the Blue Mosque. The call to prayer was broadcast from there at 6:00 am was definitely a unique wake-up call…. 

This Medusa’s head is the base of one of 336 marble columns in the Yerebatan cistern, constructed by Constatine. It was a pretty ingenuous engineering fete and is a pretty amazing thing to see…to dark for decent pictures though…you just have to see it. 

For those so inclined, I suggest reading this excellent article (click the title to this post)on just how much progress has been made in Afghanistan. There’s still a ways to go, but there is no question that what has been accomplished in 3 short years is amazing.

Arrgh. One thing about taking time off is getting out of the getting up and going to work routine. I haven’t shaved for a week and am I not looking forward to scraping off those wiskers, putting on the neck tie, and making that long commute to DC. Alas.

Tonight I will post some photos and comments on our trip to Istanbul. An amazing place. See you then.