Hagia Sophia

First Day in Istanbul!

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October 21st 2012
It is 10pm Turkish time and I am exhausted! Mom and I arrived in Istanbul today around 2pm in the afternoon after 13 hours of traveling! I have to admit that I was thoroughly impressed with myself for actually getting a decent amount of sleep (4 hours or so?) on our red-eye from Washington Dulles to Frankfort. (I owe it to the potent combo of unlimited red wine and melatonin.) Anyway, after loadin ... 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