From 88062db8f48ec498577c1336ab3ea42331747e2f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Blaise Thompson Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2019 23:57:57 -0500 Subject: refacor heritage trip --- public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html | 257 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 257 insertions(+) create mode 100644 public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html (limited to 'public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html') diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..22abd97 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html @@ -0,0 +1,257 @@ + + + + + + Armenian heritage trip + + + + +

Istanbul

+ +Part of the Armenian heritage trip memory. + +
+

2019-09-20 Friday

+ +

Blaise travels Madison to Istanbul

+ +

+Blaise left Madison mid-afternoon Wisconsin time, traveling to Istanbul to meet Nancy and Jim. +This involved a short flight Madison → Chicago, an ~11 hour flight Chicago → Istanbul, and a hour long bus ride to get downtown. +The most remarkable experience was the Turkish Airlines flight, which involved an unprecedented level of hospitality. +Every passenger was given two excellent meals, blanket, pillow, eye masks, slippers, headphones, and seemingly countless other little amenities. +It's easy to see how Turkish Airlines got its reputation. +

+ + +Turkish Airlines airplane that took Blaise from Chicago to Istanbul.
+
+ + +Dinner served to Blaise by Turkish Airlines: + +
+ + +Breakfast served to Blaise by Turkish Airlines: + + +

+Arriving in Istanbul (early evening Istanbul time), Blaise was greeted by Nancy and Jim at the bus stop. +Blaise was able to unpack before the three of them had a very nice meal at the restaurant across the street. +

+ +
+

2019-09-21 Saturday

+ +

Morning Walk

+ +

+Nancy and Blaise started the morning with a walk along the Sea of Marmara, near the hotel. +They saw divers with harpoons, fishermen, cats and dogs near the sea. +After walking along the water for roughly 30 minutes, they turned around and returned to the hotel through the city. +This included passing through the seafood restaurant area, several blocks worth of just seafood restaurants. +

+ + +View of the Marmara sea.
+
+ + +Seafood restaurant district. Early in the morning, so most restaurants are closed.
+ +

Hagia Sophia

+ +

+At 10:30 Nancy, Jim, and Blaise went on a guided tour of Hagia Sophia. +On the way, they explored the Hippodrome and saw the Alman Çeşmesi. +

+ + +Alman Çeşmesi, exterior.
+
+ + +Alman Çeşmesi, interior.
+
+ + +Hagia Sophia as seen from the Hippodrome.
+
+ +

+Their guide was from Bulgaria, with a mother born in Erzincan. +There was a long line to enter into Hagia Sophia, but once inside it wasn't too crowded. +The entire building is under constant restoration, exterior and interior. +

+ + +Hagia Sophpia exterior, detail.
+
+ + +Outer corridor.
+
+ + +View of inner corridor, detail of main door only to be used by emperors.
+
+ + +Internal sanctuary of Hagia Sophia. +The top dome has 40 windows. +One of the triangular pendentives can be seen, a large architectural innovation at the time. +Much is under restoration.
+
+ + +Interior shot of Hagia Sophia, featuring stained glass windows. +The door-like structure is oriented towards Mecca for Muslim prayer. +The lamps were placed low to the ground so that they could be lit as candles.
+
+ + +Special stairway used by Muslims for delivering messages to congregation.
+
+ + +Interior of Hagia Sophia, featuring column detail and special lamp.
+
+ + +Interior of Hagia Sophia, focusing on angel artwork. +Muslims believe that all faces must be covered in worship areas. +The face of this angel was covered when Hagia Sophia became a mosque.
+
+ + +Looking out from Hagia Sophia. +In the distance, the minarets of the blue mosque can be seen.
+
+ +

Bazaars of Istanbul

+ +

+After Hagia Sophia Nancy, Jim, and Blaise toured the streets of Istanbul including several bazaars. +First, they visited the grand bazzar. +

+ + +One of the entrances to Istanbul's grand bazaar.
+
+ + +Jim and Blaise inside the grand bazaar.
+
+ + +Lighting store inside the grand bazaar.
+
+ + +Water closet of the grand bazaar. +All toilets were pay-to-enter. +They were squat toilets.
+ +

+Then the spice market, a smaller bazaar near Galata Bridge with a focus on spices and food. +

+ + +The spice market.
+
+ + +Nancy and Blaise at the spice market.
+
+ + +Large chunks of turkish delight being displayed at the spice market.
+ +

+There were even markets in unexpected places, such as this one which they stumbled upon in a tunnel underneath the interstate. +

+ + +A bazaar located in a tunnel under the interstate. +
+ + +

Bosophorus boat tour

+ +

+At 17:00 Nancy, Jim, and Blaise went on a guided boat tour of the Bosophorus straight. +

+ + +Bosophorus tour route.
+
+ + + -- cgit v1.2.3