Cultural Learnings of Istanbul.....
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Istiklal Caddesi (Grand Rue de Pera, 'Independence Avenue')
Istiklal Caddesi, better known as Grand Rue de Pera by the French in the Ottoman period, is a historic avenue where most countries had their consulates and embassies. It was a high-end fashionable place where Ottoman and European intellectuals used to hang out at.
After the administrative capital was moved from Istanbul to Ankara, the embassies moved out, and the place kinda fell into disuse. Eventually, though, it got revived into a high-end pedestrian shopping street.
Yes, they have BBQ Chicken here. Egads.
It also has a small street market at its side streets.
Hmm..... pheasant, ostrich, and partridge....
One of the 'historical trams' going down the street
This dude would stick a potato into a little cutting machine that would cut the potato into a spiral shape....
.... the same dude pulling the potato out into a spiral while thinking 'SMLJ?' in Turkish....
A (peaceful) demonstration going on at the street.....
.... but the authorities don't feel the same way, and have deployed riot police just in case.
You never see a skinny stray cat in Istanbul.
Anyway, just see it as a really large shopping center being strung out along a 3km-long street. Pretty decent brands like Mango and Bershka can be found.
On my part, I walked into an Adidas store and bought a Fenerbahce jersey. Heheh.
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Suleymaniye Camii (Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent)
Suleyman I 'the Magnificent' is considered to be the greatest of all the Ottoman sultans, with the empire going into decline after his death. Among his greatest accomplishments was his devising of a comprehensive code for the Ottoman legal system.
This mosque was built on his orders in the year 1550 and was completed in 1558.
Then some smart aleck used its courtyard as a weapons depot during WWI, with predictable consequences when it got on fire. It was only fully restored in 1956.
The front portion of the mosque. Reminds me of the earlier Blue Mosque.
Internal view of the main dome
Another view of the ceiling
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Dolmabahce Sarayi (Dolmabahce Palace)
The Ottoman sultans were getting sick and tired of living in the luxurious (but medieval) Topkapi Palace and wanted something new. They kept gazing enviously at the other European kings who lived in more up-to-date luxury, and so they decided to go with the flow.
No, seriously.
The result was the Dolmabahce Palace, which was built along the shores of the Bosphorus.
Front view (with a really familiar but censored sod out in front)
The palace clock tower outside the main gate
The main gate
One of the side gates
Like the famous guards outside Buckingham Palace, this poor sod has to stand in this position come hell or high water. And that includes tourists who want to pose with him.
If you're wondering why his left hand is behind his back, that's because his bayonet is always ready to be unsheathed at a moment's notice.
We were lucky enough to arrive just as they were about to carry out the changing of the guard.
The guard commander is directing the new shift of guards out
The guard comd is doing a one-by-one inspection
The guy on the left is relieving the guy on the right of his sentry duty.
Too bad they enforced a strict 'no photography' rule inside the palace. Suffice to say that you need to see it to believe its opulence.
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I love Istanbul.. so beautiful.
You should have gone to Capadoccia.. another epic region in Turkey..