City between two Continents |
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Our company outing from Leipzig, Istanbul - $200 inluding flight and hotel (3-days) was a hit and opened the eyes and minds of all of us who dared take it. A fantastic adventure and cultural experience which all europeans should take!
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With locals and guide overlooking Istanbul
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Istanbul (previously called Constantinople), being centred around ancient oriental civilisation, is a dream-come-true for us historically hungary people. As the only city on two continents it's the link between europe and the arabian world and capital of the Ottaman Empire which once ruled from Iran to Marocco and most of southern europe, almost took Vienna too. The republic of Turkey was formed in 1923 by Mustafas Kemal Ataturk, who made the turkish europeans in style and also writing, forced the latin alphabet. The city is also a link between the Black Sea and the Mediteranean via the Bosphoros Straits. Water from the Danube must pass here and Gibralta to get to the ocean!
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| Favourite spots: |
- Grand Bazaar (see rangutans's "pictures")
- Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) and Church of the Dive Wisdom was the biggest church in the christian world for a thousand years untill St.Peter was build. - The Blue Mosque (nicknamed for its interior tiling) is called Sultanahmet by the locals. Impresive, the only mosque with 6 minarets and inferior only to that in Mecca. The dome is 70 feet wide! - Oskudar, the eastern subburbs and stylish to young modern Turks - Sunken Palace Cistern, a network of ancient underground water reservoirs, hundreds of columns, scary - Obelisk of Theodosims, 3500 years old from Egypt imported stone in 390AD
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| What's really great: |
1) Exploring Topkapi Palace, feel the power! It was home to the Ottoman Emperors for 400 years. Four courts and hundreds of rooms, including harems. A movie should be made of the story!
2) The subburbs on the east side where a lot af young people are building houses
3) the food - forget french!
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| Accommodations: |
We stayed at Hotel Ilkay, included in the package and well worth it, satisfactory quality and service at budget price, and tourist friendly. Most hotels offer pick-up-tours to see the city and surroundings.
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| Restaurants: |
Eat where the locals do, always my travel tip. Our local host took us up the road to the Black Sea one evening and showed us what value is... and fead us to our delight...
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testin carpets, each one a work-of-art
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- buy a carpet, can be shipped
Web Tips:
www.istanbultravelguide.net (great!)
www.turkeytravelplanner.com (good info & pics)
Wish to see oneday:
- Gallipoli
- Turkish Riveirra
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Published on Friday September 17th, 2004 by rangutan
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