(from the journal, November 5-11) We take a taxi to the train station. Our train of choice from Granada east to Sevilla is sold out. We find a luxury hotel in Granada with all the amenities – comfortable lounge, full bar, good food, wifi. We hunker down for four hours, then on our way to Sevilla, pulling in to the …
Short Stay in Amazing Granada
(from the journal, November 1-4) The bus climbs over the mountains, which give way to rolling foothills, olive trees, citrus orchards, a nuclear power plant. Granada is chilly but not rainy. “Iglesias del Salvador,” I tell the taxi driver, his Prius delivering us to an easy landmark a stone’s throw from our flat. It is noon. We are the first …
Into History: The Basilica Cistern and Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts
Sultanahmet is hot, the sun bakes the domes and minarets of Ayasofia, the Blue Mosque, the Hammam and the surrounding buildings. The air cools as we descend into the ancient Basilica Cistern below.
Istanbul Sunset on the Sea of Marmara
We leave the Blue Mosque, head northwest into a local neighborhood. Tourist traps give way to run-down apartments, spartan çay shops and a dearth of trinkets. We enter the courtyard of a school, walking out to the terrace with the view of the Sea of Marmara.
Main Attractions: Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque
Hagia Sofia (or Ayasofia) was founded as a Catholic church in the 6th century, and converted to a mosque when Istanbul was conquered in the 15th century. It is no longer a functioning mosque. It is fascinating to see the massive round Arabic canvasses, thirty feet in diameter, surround the main chamber, while ancient Biblical mosaics adorn the walls. Light …
PHOTO POST…the beauty of Istanbul…
PHOTO BLOG POST Sharing the beauty of Istanbul in these sweet moments before migrating west…soaking it all in as we begin to open and spread our wings to the winds again…we will be pointing our wings to the south of Spain later next week… Here are some reflections inspired by the beauty I feel…flowing through everyone and everything…all around the …
A Terrace and a Mosque With New Friends
From Ojai, evan puts us in touch with Kelly in Istanbul. She is American, in Turkey for the last six years, which began as a period of time with her aging grandmother. We meet her and family friend Paul at Konak Cafe in Galata, another terrace with another amazing view – this time south to the Golden Horn and west …
The Pierre Loti Terrace and Into The Grand Bazaar
We take the tram west of Sultanahmet to Çemberlitaş. Passing Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque on our left, we climb the hill and exit at the Column of Constantine, built on the orders of the Roman emperor in 330 AD. Crowds swarm around the entrance of the Grand Bazaar and the adjacent Atik Ali Pasha Mosque is in prayer, …
A Sampling of Istanbul
Following are a few photos from a couple days back. A view from our window, a minaret on Beyoglu, snapshots from the market, a contrast in toilets…
PHOTO POST…Istanbul, Turkey
ISTANBUL is a magical city full of mystique and charm. Our nest is perched upon the hill where the famous Galata Tower resides in the Bohemian District of Beyoglu. The Old City is across the Galata Bridge, which we visit almost every single day. Istanbul is truly a wonderful city full of vibrancy and creativity with lots and lots of …