dome medallion close up

August 12th 2015
So, who, exactly, decided Suleiman was magnificent? Was it his mother? His wife? She had good reason to think well of him. Maybe one of his concubines? We know he had at least three. Who was this guy? I got interested in Suleiman because of the mosque named for him. Suleiman wanted to turn Constantinople into the jewel of the Ottoman Empire, and to that end he had Mimar Sinan, one of the greatest ... read more

Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul

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

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Karen Johnson

Kuan Yin

I'm an independent single woman who loves to travel. Favorite place to visit in a new country? The grocery store. Scroll down to read my previous posts, and check back often for more pictures and stories. If you want to make sure you never miss another of my thrilling adventures, click on the "subscribe" button on the right. "The road opens up for us and sets us free." - Johnny Clegg “One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ was his response. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered... full info

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14th August 2015

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Amazing Islamic Art!
Suleiman and Sinan were two of my favorite characters in Turkey, and I traveled around to see Sinan's architectural masterpieces. Isn't it wonderful how Suleiman was not only a great lawgiver but also a poet and promoter of the arts. We just don't get leaders like this anymore. And how fun to get lost in those wonderful little streets of medieval Istanbul--it brings back lovely memories. Thanks!

15th August 2015

Kuan Yin
Karen Johnson

So beautiful
My only disappointment was that I don't read Arabic and couldn't decipher the calligraphic art. But it really didn't matter, it was so lovely. And the more I learned about Suleiman, the more impressed I was. Well, except for the part where he had his son strangled...

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