Oh dear, I have lost Edie’s write up of this day. Ugg, sorry honey, sorry everyone. I will beg her to come back and add her commentary later. (No need as Michael covered it all pretty well.)
In the theater waiting for our tour to leave.Disembarking in the snow.This bird was playing and looking in our window at me as I took pictures, no flash.He bathed a little…Then took off.Thought there wouldn’t be so much graffiti here.Old wall of Constantinople.More of the old wall.MosquesEvery size of Mosque and minaret.On the bus, crossing the Great Horn, folks fishing.Headed for our ferry.On the way to our ferry boat.Our ride today, sure hope it has passed all the inspections.On board.Edie sat on the right side and I sat on the left, both cameras at the ready.My side of the inside.These little birds plucked floating things from the water without getting wet.Many boats here.Bridges with many shops underneath, fish restaurants too. Not sure where you park.The water is swift and choppy. Traffic is thick. Openings under the bridges are singular, ferries line up and dart through. Hope they are talking on a radio back and forth.One of two bridges that go from one continent to another. Europe to Asia.Crowded, big fish little fish things too.This one pops through the only bridge opening, we wait.We pop through, others wait.
Our home.Prestigious military high school possibly being converted to a luxury hotel.
Many prestigious buildings along the waterfront on the European side.
I think a Vizier’s Mosque. (And don’t ask me what a vizier is.)Once a Sultan’s yacht, then donated to Turkey, now for rent and soon turned into a museum.
Fort on the Asian side.Fort protecting the Bosporus Straight.
Second bridge, two continents.We turned around and are cruising the high dollar district on the Asian side. The ferry traffic is about the folks that live on one side and work on the other.
Tremendous currents between the two seas. Our guide told us that the high salinity of the Aegean and the very low salinity of the Black sea caused huge flows.Edie spotted some interesting birds.Finished where we started and headed to the Blue Mosque.Back on the bus, today’s guide standing on the right.Galata Tower. 1348 called the Tower of Christ. Was the tallest structure in Istanbul/Constantinople for centuries.Crowded city. We were told that on the best days the traffic is only horrible and on bad days, there is not much movement.Stairs painted during protests last year.We walked around nearby while the others went into the Blue Mosque. Turkey is close to Africa so no surprise to see African drums for sale.Meerschaum pipes.Bold character, this graffiti is inside the grounds of the Blue Mosque.Pretty woman with the Blue Mosque in the background.Cold and Grumpy with the Blue Mosque in the background. All tours seem to include the Blue Mosque, trip #3.Sultan’s tomb.I was fascinated by this obelisk in the Hippodrome.Looks brand new, like the inscriptions were made yesterday.
Was 30 meters high, broke in transport or standing it back up. Now it is 18,5 meters high. It sits on 4 bronze cubes.Wow, transported from Egypt 1,625 years ago. Total age of the obelisk is about 3, 065 years old. Still looks new.Relief’s of the Romans watching chariot races and other sporting events that took place here.The watchers in the crowd.Erected 390 A.D. 1,625 years ago. Moved from Alexandria where it was first erected 3,065 years ago.German gift, a well with spigot.
Coiled serpents, missing heads.Ground level back when.Old obelisk, weathering badly.Off to another carpet store. Second time past this statue, must be a good route for the big buses.At the rug makers.Traditional dress, the graphic above is the pattern map with grids that she uses to know what color to put where.Head guy, excellent job of explaining how it works. Apparently only Turkey uses a double knot system. Not found in Chinese work, Not found in machine work. It is a double loop around two strands.The red thread is double looped.The blow up represents the vertical strings. She counts the strings over and places the appropriately colored thread in the right place. I’d last about 5 minutes.Sorry for the blur. The black thing in the basket is a heavy rake device she uses to tamp down the weaves. The trimmed excess is respun and redyed and used in cheaper carpets.Odd looking scissors that trim the excess into the basket.Man I liked that modern rug.I wanted to buy the one in the center, they took it away, wouldn’t even talk about it. Must have already been sold.Pretty woman going down the stairs.Looking up the stairs.
Trying to be artistic.Back at the Grand Bazaar, again.
No tools for sale anywhere.Gate with guard at the Governor’s palace.Our imports,
Crossing the bridge over the Golden Horn, lots of folks fishing.Headed back.Pretty woman hanging tough.
