Istanbul

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Wow! What an amazıng cıty! Quıte possıbly the most beautıful cıty I have ever been too. Maybe rıvaled by Lıjıang Chına. Got here to the shock of about 3 degrees and raın but the next mornıng we were ın sunshine for our 2 days here.
It is known as Istanbul today, but it was probably inhabited by people as early as 3000 BC. In the 7th century BC, Greek colonists led by King Byzas established the colony of and gave his name to the city Byzantium, the Greek name for a city on the Bosphorus. In the early 100's BC, it became part of the Roman Empire and in 306 AD, Emperor Constantine the Great made Byzantium capital of the entire Roman Empire. From that point on, the city was known as Constantinople. Finally, weakened by almost constant battle, the Ottoman Turks lead by Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople in 1453. Renamed Istanbul, it became the third and last capital of the Ottoman Empire.
Our time here was amazing. Spent our mornings at The Blue Mosque, Aya Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. The went on a cruise of the Bosphorus Strait.

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Photos

Photo 2
Blue Mosque, built in 1619.

Photo 27
The edifice we see today was started in 532 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I as a Christian cathedral.

Photo 23
The Grand Bazaar, some 4000 shops intertwined in a maze of alleys and expensive boutiques. You can buy anything here!

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Blue Steel in a fur hat!!!

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Now that is one big skewer of Meat!