Shall we continue?
Istanbul, Turkey
Dolmabahçe Palace
This Palace was by far the most extravagant one we have seen yet. Everything inside was decorated with gold and baccarat crystal. In fact, the Sutlan went into bankruptcy trying to finish the palace!
Also inside the the world's largest Bohemian crystal chandelier. Donated by Queen Victoria, the chandelier has 750 lamps and weighs 4.5 tons!
(Taken from http://www.turkeytour.net/istanbul-daily-city-tours/dolmabahce-palace-two-continents.html)
Shopping with the locals!
Authentic baklava
The world's first coffee shop where we tried Turkish coffee!
Galata Tower
After me scolding at least 20 people for walking the wrong way on the tiniest path and mom almost freaking out for there being to many people up so high, we at least got some sweet pics of the city!
Hagia Sophia
Built in 537, Hagia Sophia served as an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral until 1453. After that the church was converted into and used as a mosque until 1931. Finally in 1935, it was re-opened to the public as a museum.
Being that the Islamic religion does not allow bells, icons, sacrificial vessels, and other relics they were all changed, removed, or covered up when the church was converted into a mosque. This included changing crosses into arrows, plastering over mosaics, and placing bowls over the faces of angels.
View from the terrace of our hotel
Dinner time
Blue Mosque at night
Topkapi Palace
Tulip Garden
Many know Amsterdam for their tulips but Turkey actually introduced them to the beautiful flower!
Basilica Cistern
Back when it was actually used as a water source for the turkish people, this cistern would hold up to somewhere around 20,000,000 gallons of water.
Medusa's head turned upside down at the bottom of one of the columns
Grand Bazaar
The coolest bracelet ever.
Sea bass baked in salt for dinner
Final product, delicious!
Ready for the Blue Mosque!
Where the Hippodrome used to stand
Chora Church and Museum
It is considered to be one of the most beautiful surviving examples of a Byzantine Church, covered with beautiful mosaics and frescoes.
The Spice Market
Fishies
Nuts
Meat and Cheese
Dried fruits and vegatables
Turkish Delight!
Tea
Spices
Sponges
The New Mosque
Boat ride on the Bosphorus
Now let's look at all the Sultan's Palaces all on the same waterway...
His Home: Dolmabahce Palace
The Party Palace
The Hunting Palace
The Summer Palace
Istanbul is a bi-continental city, laying in Europe and Asia.
Whenever you cross a suspension bridge, you change continents!
I hope you enjoyed reading about our trip and even that you possibly learned something new! I know I learned a lot during these past two weeks while also having so much fun.
Thanks mommy for coming to visit and taking me to all these cool places.
And thanks to Dan for paying for it!
AND thanks to my parents' good friend Tim and his daughter Nikki at Paul Klein Travel for planning our entire trip! It was surely an experience that my mom and I will never forget!
Now Sultan Nart says get out of here!
