On the 1st August we took a trip to Europe and our first stop was Istanbul. Istanbul is Turkey's largest city, but it is not the capital (Ankara is the capital of Turkey). That said, Istanbul is considered the cultural, historical and economic centre of Turkey. The interesting thing to note is that Istanbul is a transcontinental city, with part of the city being in Asia and the other part being in Europe.
David has been to Istanbul before (for work), but this was my first visit there. We flew directly from Singapore to Istanbul and arrived early in the morning. Being in Istanbul for the day, we signed up for the free city tour that is offered by Turkish Airlines. It was a well organized tour that took us to some of the city's famous sights.
Istanbul is a very interesting city and although we were only there for the day, we were able to see and experience quite a bit.
David has been to Istanbul before (for work), but this was my first visit there. We flew directly from Singapore to Istanbul and arrived early in the morning. Being in Istanbul for the day, we signed up for the free city tour that is offered by Turkish Airlines. It was a well organized tour that took us to some of the city's famous sights.
Istanbul is a very interesting city and although we were only there for the day, we were able to see and experience quite a bit.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque
This beautiful mosque is commonly known as the Blue Mosque, because of the blue tiles that adorn the walls of the interior. It was constructed between 1606 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. This mosque is one of Turkey's main attractions and there were many tourists around when we visited. This is an active mosque, so it is closed to non-worshippers for about half an hour during the five daily prayers.
This beautiful mosque is commonly known as the Blue Mosque, because of the blue tiles that adorn the walls of the interior. It was constructed between 1606 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. This mosque is one of Turkey's main attractions and there were many tourists around when we visited. This is an active mosque, so it is closed to non-worshippers for about half an hour during the five daily prayers.
The Bosphorus
The Bosphorus is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. This stategic waterway connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and it runs through the heart of Istanbul. Unfortunately when we did get a view of the Bosphorus it was grey and overcast, so we couldn't see very far into the distance.
Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern is located in the historical peninsula of Istanbul and it is one of the few architectural treasures that has survived to this day. This underground cistern was built during the reign of Emperor Justinianus in the 6th century.
The cistern is 140 metres (460 feet) long and 70 metres (230 feet) wide and it covers an area of 9,800 sqaure meters (105,486 square feet). The cistern has 336 marble columns in total and each stands 9 metres (30 feet) high. The cistern is surrounded by a 4 metre (13 feet) thick firebrick wall that is covered with a special mortar for insulation against water. The cistern's water was provided by the Belgrade woods, which lie 19 km north of the city, via aquaducts built by Emperor Justinianus.
Topkapi Palace Museum
Topkapi Palace was the residence of Ottoman Sultans and the centre of state management and education. Mehmed the Conqueror started the construction of this palace and almost all sultans after him added something to the palace. The palace consists of rooms where state affairs were held, gardens, pavilions where the sultan resided and buildings for the officials who lived in the palace.
In 1924 following the removal of monarchy, Topkapi Palace was turned into a museum
Dondurma
Dondurma is the name given to ice cream in Turkey. Dondurma literally means "freezing" in Turkish. What makes dondurma unique is its firm and chewy texture, and resistance to melting. Dondurma contains two agents that give it these properties: salep (a thickening agent made from the root of Early Purple Orchids) and mastic (a resin that makes it chewy). We had a fun time watching this dondurma-maker handling the dondurma.
