Well here I am, Istanbul, last stop for my jaunt through Europe. A great place to end this trip, jampacked with history, colorful traditions, intoxicating sights and smells and a first-hand glimpse of Islam. Istanbul quite literally stradles Europe and Asia,with Bosphorus strait dividing the city. It's a huge city of 15 million but the sights are tightly packed in a manageable area. The Old town and most of the historical sights are in the western/ European part. I'm staying at the hotel Hanedan just behind the Blue mosque and (would you believe it) just around the corner from the Istanbul 4 Seasons. It's the beginning of Ramadan here. Turkey is a very secular country and it's not uncommon for people not to fast but I think most people do. The restaurants and the area around
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