Blogs from Turkey, Middle East - page 406

Hello everyone, Napoleon called Istanbul, "The centre of the world." Half the city is in Europe, the rest in Asia. Connection is with a bridge across the Bosphorus Straight. The three big things to see in Istanbul are the Sultan's Palace, Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. Dolmabahce, the Sultan's Palace took thirteen years to build--1843 to 1856. Six Sultan's lived there. It has 385 rooms, 43 halls, 68 toilets, 600 paintings and 1,427 windows. One of the staircases has crystal spindles holding up the bannister. The most impressive part is the Grand Ceremony Hall. The domed ceiling is forty metres--more than 120 feet high. Hanging in the middle is a 4.5-ton chandelier with 664 lights. A 124 square metre carpet in the middle was dwarfed by this room. It has four balconies--one for an orchestra, ... read more

now pictures later comments :)... read more

Day 05 - 3 January 07 Today is the last day for the tour. I just walked around the city to discover the old city area near to Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar (The both shopping area were closed due to Hajj) such as Yeni / New Mosque and Bozdogan Aqueduct. The flight back to Dubai was informed changed from 7.00pm to 9.00pm a day before but it was further delayed an hour also. However, I reached to my apartment at Dubai 5.00am and ended the Istanbul tour. I only have 2 hours sleeping time before go to work. ... read more

Day 04 - 2 Jan 07 Morning, took a ferry (2.00 YTL one way) from Eminonu to Buyukada which it is the largest Island of Prince Islands. The journey took about 1.5 hour to reach there. In the island hardly can find a car over there. The visitor normally took the horse-drawn phaeton (carriage) round the island or alternatively by a bicycle (cost 2.00 YTL per hour). At the evening, I have took a Turkish bath (25.00 YTL) which is a new experience to me. ... read more

"Now here ıs a landscape to get excıted about!" Did I say that outloud? I either thought or exclaimed this as I looked at the world whisking past outside my train window. I am several hours into an 8 hour trip from Ankara back to the city of empires. I have been asked to move to the smoking section several times by the conductor because I don't have an assigned seat in non-smoking and I tell him no repeatedly. I keep having to move because I am in someone's reserved seat. Meanwhile a girl with black hair and red lipstick sits briefly next to me and speaks something in Turkish, then touches my arm and gets up and leaves. The conductor comes by and seems more angry. I say I will move when there are absolutely ... read more