Istanbul is a huge city, one of the world’s largest. Entire books have been written about the history of the city. So, I do not expect this little post to add much to the record. Just a few thoughts and photos from my (first) time visiting.

For people who enjoy naming and categorizing, this is the boundary of Europe and Asia. And this bridge across the Bosporus connects the two continents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a thousand years this was Constantinople, the eastern capital of the Roman empire. The city did not fall to the Ottomans until the mid 1400’s. And there are still artefacts from the Roman times. Here is a curiosity: this little Egyptian obelisk, moved to Rome, but then sent here by Constantine as part of the decoration of his new city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But the centuries of Ottoman rule overlaid the city with Arabic culture, most notably the Mosques. Two huge ones occupy the most historic area of the downtown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many more in the historic old town.

 

 

 

 

And all over the city. Counting them would be like counting churches in Alabama.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are speakers on the towers of the Mosques, and periodically during the day men with no obvious history of voice training sing out their religious ecstasy to the neighborhood.

The Mosques date from the 16 and 1700’s. Pretty new by the things I have been seeking out on this winter trip. The fancy houses and palaces are mainly from the 1800’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plenty of tourist restaurants are in the lanes of the old town around the historic center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And further downhill toward the golden horn there is a very large market area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The city is difficult to walk. Steep erosion valleys running east and west make the city very hilly. Plus the traffic is chaotic and swarming everywhere.

There is so much water around that ferry are constantly moving around. I would have liked to show the surprising numbers, but the light was always against me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

High rises and nice areas occupy the high ground in a number of places. Poor neighborhoods are in the low areas.

 

 

 

 

 

There are a lot of police and security. Lots of pedestrians. Lots of smoking. Very few Americanisms, but here are two familiar ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some random photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One disappointment visiting here was the number of attempted scams. The women, one with a baby who are so excited to meet you and must show you something on a cell phone but it is hard to pull up and then you are being squeezed between two pickpockets who saddled up. The classic “oh I dropped my shoebrush and you alerted me to that and so now I must give you a free shoeshine”. Plenty of helpful travel guides on offer, plus great shopping experiences, just come with me. Every taxi ride (I know this from walking) was padded by intentional driving off route and into congested areas.

Luckily I never go out for “nightlife”, when the real professional scammers are active.

But what I decided is that I have been on the road too long. These petty things should just be sport. And so, I will return to the USA and Bemidji tomorrow.

Thanks for coming along on this European fall travel. I expect to be on the road again in the spring. See you then.

Lew