Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia, separated by the Bosphorus
The Enderun Hotel courtyard was a tranquil oasis in busy Istanbul
Climbing the old Walls of Constantinople
New Istanbul from the old city wall
Hagia Sophia, built in 537, was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years
Hagia Sophia became a mosque in 1453 when the city fell to the Ottomans
In 1935 Hagia Sophia became a museum
A view of the "Blue Mosque" from Hagia Sophia
Part of Istanbul's city skyline from the Bosphorus
Rumelihisari Fortress and one of two bridges spanning the Bosphorus
A third bridge will soon span the Bosphorus at the entrance to the Black Sea
Galata Tower
Istanbul is a cat-lover's paradise These cats were on Istiklal Avenue, Istanbul's famous pedestrian-only avenue
A cat lover near Galata Tower
Street animals are a part of Turkish culture and are officially protected by the State These dogs, lounging on Topkapi Pallace lawns with an armed guard, looked very comfortable and very protected.
A great view over the Golden Horn waterway from a rooftop cafe
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
Why it's called the Blue Mosque
Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (last one)
Valens aqueduct, completed in 368
Basilica Cistern, the biggest of many ancient underground water stores
At the spice market
Spice market
From the tallest tower in Istanbul, looking northeast to the Black Sea
From the tallest tower in Istanbul, looking southeast to the Sea of Marmara
13th annual gay pride rally
What the State thought of the gay pride rally Despite leaving at this point, we still got a dose of tear gas on the breeze soon after
Suleymaniye Mosque from the courtyard
Interior of the "New Mosque" (Yeni Cami)
Locals relaxing in the park
Looking across the Golden Horn to Galata Tower from Suleymaniye Mosque
