Our first day in Istanbul began with the hotel breakfast spread out
from which this was the breakfast
chosen by Suzanne
and this
by me.
After breakfast, we looked at the Blue Mosque
as we walked past the mile marker
and headed towards Ayasofia (Hagia Sophia)
and went past the broken pillars
and beautiful hydrangias
before entering and seeing the amazing basin
and the dome
and the Arabic signs from its time as an Islamic mosque
and then wandered around catching scenes of rooms
and the dome mosaic
and were amazed at the massiveness of the structure
as we came across the thumb place where you are supposed to get (?eternal oneness) if you can do a full rotation
and then passed outside to the Imperial Door sign
and noticed what it was that made this a door fit for an emperor
as we observed many parts of the entry and the inside
before looking at the images in the ceiling
one of which has had its face restored
and the ceiling mosaic
and the Omaphillion where emperors were crowned
and the aspects that came from Islam (the steps for the preacher (but only half way to save room for Mohammed at the top)
and back to the ceiling
before making our way upstairs
to see more mosaics
and a description of an exhibit
and to capture photos from above that gave a sense of the vastness of this church/mosque/museum which was originally built 1500 years ago
and a closer view of the angels
and an outside view
followed by these views down
as might have been seen by the empress
though without the scaffolding that supports ongoing work
but then we started to do our mosaic tour starting with Jesus between St. John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary (12C.)
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as described here
and then a few outside looks
before the next mosaic
with description
and close ups
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and another
with its description and the interesting observation in the guide book that a name had been overwritten on the mosaic itself.
We looked down again
and then passed through the half door
altar
and baptismal font
and this map of the Byzantine world
as we admired the pigeons
and the tile work above
and synodicon
before making our way
to a few final mosaics
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and the splendid door
outside o the ablution fountain
and the courtyard where spare parts are stored
which seemed to amuse Suzanne
before we decided not to read the Greek
but rather to pass this structure
on our way to the million from which all measurements were made
as described here.
After passing a gift shop
and a mosaic wall a la Isaih Zagar
I got a picture of a pitchman with Suzanne
before we entered the basilica cistern (from 637)
and made our way inside to see amazing scenes -- although the water is largely gone, the hundreds of columns that were recycled to hold the place together remaining and there is enough water and eerie darkness to provide quite a set of views. Add to this a surreal art exhibition and you have what we experienced...
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on our way to the Medusa which was easily described
but it took some walking
and another guiding sign
before we passed a few pillars
and there were the 2 Medusas; one upside down
and after this gentleman moved out of the frame
one sideways
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Even after Medusa, we roamed with others through the cistern
pausing for photo ops
and scenery
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and last art photos
with description
before making our way out to get water
and note the bear holding plants for us
as we took a long shot of Ayasofia
but couldn't get a clear image of this woman
though this background
did enable us to capture this group of men
and the person selling the famous Turkish dough circles
and the Blue Mosque
with the man carrying his wares on his head
and the person dressed almost as Santa Claus.
This morning excursion put us in good stead to make our way to Kabatas and catch this boat
with scenery
before we hit the water
and noticed the passing traffic
and the warning signs on the boat
as Suzanne slept
until we neared land
and then we were on Buyukuda where we walked through various markets
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to find our way to the house of Attila and Elsie with its swimming pool
and views which we admired
before the others arrived and there were the pictures of the group of Tunc Ulug, Kerry Weiner, Judy Ulug, Umran Inan, Elsie Vance, Suzanne (standing) and Sharon Weiner, Attila and Elif Inan (seated)
and this one where I replaced Tunc
and then views of the sunset
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as Elif, Judy and Suzanne
Umran, Sharon and Attila
and Kerry and Elsie chatted
before we observed that the 3 women all looked (or dressed) alike
as the pigeons on the roof surely had before
and then we boarded a horse drawn carriage
passed a carriage going the other way
and after a last photo of the town
went past the Cafe Turing
and through the doors
to find our boat (which was not this one!)
and were surprised to see Tunc and Judy on our boat back to Kabatas.
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from which this was the breakfast
chosen by Suzanne
and this
by me.
After breakfast, we looked at the Blue Mosque
as we walked past the mile marker
and headed towards Ayasofia (Hagia Sophia)
and went past the broken pillars
and beautiful hydrangias
before entering and seeing the amazing basin
and the dome
and the Arabic signs from its time as an Islamic mosque
and then wandered around catching scenes of rooms
and the dome mosaic
and were amazed at the massiveness of the structure
as we came across the thumb place where you are supposed to get (?eternal oneness) if you can do a full rotation
and then passed outside to the Imperial Door sign
and noticed what it was that made this a door fit for an emperor
as we observed many parts of the entry and the inside
before looking at the images in the ceiling
one of which has had its face restored
and the ceiling mosaic
and the Omaphillion where emperors were crowned
and the aspects that came from Islam (the steps for the preacher (but only half way to save room for Mohammed at the top)
and back to the ceiling
before making our way upstairs
to see more mosaics
and a description of an exhibit
and to capture photos from above that gave a sense of the vastness of this church/mosque/museum which was originally built 1500 years ago
