Tagged With "Ottoman Empire"

Spectacular!

I remember that restaurant fondly. A woman on her own was seated with us and we became instant friends, still in touch after 12 years.

Near the entrance of Istanbul's Topkapi Palace, once the home of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, we found the residence of another "royal family," the cats that are to be found throughout the city.

A visit to fabled Topkapi, imperial and administrative center of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years

Our visit to Topkapi continued after our lunch on a terrace overlooking the Sea of Marmara and more of the palace grounds. We had, in fact, reached the point of beginning to return to the beginning...partly because we had reached the innermost part, and partly because the weather was becoming increasingly grim.

On our first day in Istanbul, after arriving at 4:30 on a Sunday morning and heading straight to a nap we went for a walk to reconnoiter the neighborhood. What a neighborhood! Within 5 to 10 minutes easy walk we passed the Topkapi Palace, the massive Hagia Sophia, a large open square and came, face on, with the incredible Blue Mosque.