view from Bauhaus roof 1

Day One

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May 16th 2011
Shortly after midday yesterday I arrived safely in Istanbul, having slept through most of the flight. Fortuitously, an Australian who was on my flight was booked to stay at the same place as me (Bauhaus Guesthouse), so we helped each other find our way here. We checked in with an eccentric Turkish receptionist who's obsessed with the British TV series "The Only Way Is Essex", and who insisted ... read more

Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul » Sultanahmet

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Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopt... ... read more