Along the Bosphorus
{ October 2009 - Istanbul, Turkey }
We joined a day tour on our third day in Istanbul. The tour started with a quick stop at the Spice Bazaar. It has spices, nuts, dried fruits, Turkish Delight, honey and lots more! The richness of colour is a captivating sight!
Just outside the market is the New Mosque (Yeni Camii). We did not have time to visit the mosque, but spent some time taking photos of the many pigeons there!
We took a cruise down the Bosphorus. It is a strait that links the European part with the Asian part of Istanbul. It was great seeing the palaces, waterfront houses and restaurants along the strait.
We visited the Beylerbeyi Palace. It is a summer palace for the sultan during the Ottoman empire. The detail in the interior designs were amazing. Only a palace can have a pool right in the middle of the palace, with piano and huge entertaining area. As the palace is under conservation, no photography was allowed.
After the tour, we took a quick walk to Hippodrome. It was here that the Byzantine emperors enjoy chariot races. Only some of the monuments remained. The Serpent Column (shown below in the foreground) used to have serpents head. The Obelisk of Theodosius (shown in the background) was carved in Egypt at around 1,500 BC and was brought to Constantinople in AD 390. For a monument that is 3,500 years old it is still in an amazing condition.
We walked towards the Blue Mosque from the Hippodrome, and the view is definitely much better than straight from Sultanahmet Park. You would appreciate the grandeur and the symmetry of the mosque much better.
We joined a day tour on our third day in Istanbul. The tour started with a quick stop at the Spice Bazaar. It has spices, nuts, dried fruits, Turkish Delight, honey and lots more! The richness of colour is a captivating sight!
Just outside the market is the New Mosque (Yeni Camii). We did not have time to visit the mosque, but spent some time taking photos of the many pigeons there!
We took a cruise down the Bosphorus. It is a strait that links the European part with the Asian part of Istanbul. It was great seeing the palaces, waterfront houses and restaurants along the strait.
Here is a view of the Bosphorus Bridge from Camlica Hill.
We visited the Beylerbeyi Palace. It is a summer palace for the sultan during the Ottoman empire. The detail in the interior designs were amazing. Only a palace can have a pool right in the middle of the palace, with piano and huge entertaining area. As the palace is under conservation, no photography was allowed.
After the tour, we took a quick walk to Hippodrome. It was here that the Byzantine emperors enjoy chariot races. Only some of the monuments remained. The Serpent Column (shown below in the foreground) used to have serpents head. The Obelisk of Theodosius (shown in the background) was carved in Egypt at around 1,500 BC and was brought to Constantinople in AD 390. For a monument that is 3,500 years old it is still in an amazing condition.
We walked towards the Blue Mosque from the Hippodrome, and the view is definitely much better than straight from Sultanahmet Park. You would appreciate the grandeur and the symmetry of the mosque much better.
