Family duty over, Miss N and I explore Constantinople.
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| Aghia Sophia - complete with post 1453 Ottoman adornments. |
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| Turkish nutty stuff serves as seismic roller bearings. |
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| Sultanahmet area with the Bosphorus and Blue Mosque in view . |
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| Anyone for a Double decker bus tour? |
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| The Golden Horn - note to Miss N - we are not about to cross into Asia |
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| The traditional scooter crush manouvre developed by the Ottoman's over centuries of conquest |
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| Turkish made FIAT taksis. |
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| Foreground - piles. Background - Mosque |
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| Byzantine city wall |
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| In search of my childhood memories I discover that the ferries to Buyukada have moved to the other end of town since my last visit to the island some 35 years ago |
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| On Buyukada no cars are permitted - the odour of dung prevails but the roses grow well there. |
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| My Grandparent's former house revisited after 35 years. |
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| Food at one of the many Buyukada promenade restaurants - these are starters and fish is cooked to order (€€€€) |
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| That's where the cat went! |
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| View to the Asian shore from Buyukada promenade |
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| In former days these ferries were steam powered and were built in Scotland. Now diesel and Turkish made. |
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| Our Hotel in the old city |
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| Fast food and even "upstairs"! |
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| In the Grand Bazzar - Miss N is negotiating in that shop...hours and hours |
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| On the left Constantinople or for us modernists Byzantium - Europe. On the right Uskudar - Asia. |
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| No need for paper here. |
Coming up: A jaunt around the Peak District and the first bug splat of the year
My, your family really had a nice slice of real estate back in the day. It's amazing how history can be scrubbed out - Cluj, where I live, was an overwealminging Hungarian town until Ceaucescu in the 60s, and the buildings in the centre are all delightfully Hapsburgian. But Romanians tend to view the Austro-Hungarian empire (and all that they built) as a mere blip in the historical time-line linking them with their supposed Roman forebears.
ReplyDeleteIt is great that your grandparents' house is still standing. It looks well taken care of.
ReplyDeleteIs that cat licking a shoe under the table?
Oh, and incidentally, am I the only one that is now singing Istanbul (not Constantinople)?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_(Not_Constantinople)
This is shaping up to be a spectacular trip! I love hearing your walk down memory lane. It sounds like all of the family has left the area?
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos N - must show Jennie as she'll be there in about 3 weeks as part of her "girlie" cruise!
ReplyDeleteLovely pics. Sometimes it's nice to travel down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteGreat song that Trobairitz - new to me, thanks !
ReplyDeletethat shot of the Blue Mosque is beautiful....I'm going to have to bump Byzantium up the travel list ahead of Morocco, I think.
ReplyDelete