9/29/07
Istanbul, Turkey
Today, I set off on my own to see the major sights of Istanbul before leaving for Eastern Europe. I took the train to Haghia Sophia mosque, which was one of my favorite sights in Turkey so far. It is an old bzyantine church from the Constantine era, which was later converted to a mosque with the Ottoman empire, so you can see these cool layers of history within the building.

After exploring the Haghia Sophia, I met Emmett to explore the Topkapi Palace, which was the center of the Ottoman Empire for many generations. It made Emmett think of the gross excess of rulers and tyrants, and our fascination with jewels and palaces. Although I agreed, I did enjoy the detailed tile work. We were looking forward to viewing the religious relics such as Mohamed's beard, but that part of the palace was unfortunately closed.

We visited the Grand Bazaar next, which was much too stiffling and crowded for me, but I liked the ornate roof, and small stalls. It was nice to walk around the city and look at the stalls and streets around the bazaar- it's really amazing how packed in everything is here.