Sunrise from Darlene's balcony

Exploring İstanbul

---

October 13th 2009
It has been great to be able to pause for a while in İstanbul. I will have been here for five days by the time I leave for Iran on the Trans Asyan Ekspresi on Wednesday, charging through Turkey to be in Tehran by the weekend. The city has enough to explore and experience to stay for years, and the hospitality makes that tempting. I have woken with the early Call to Prayer, in time to see the sun ... 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