Monday 16 June 2008

Istanbul - Turkey

FuFu World Tour

Turkiye 7th - 22nd May 2007
Istanbul, Day 1 & 2 - Part One


Dubai Duty Free, Dubai International Airport.

Stopped over at Dubai International Airport, i was able to see the Palm Jumeirah (in the shape of palm tree) from top, the world's largest man-made island and is touted as soon to be one of the world`s premier resorts. Dubai, the ultra modern city in the middle of the desert. Unbelievable transformation. I believe it would be an amazing place to visit few years later when all of the projects probably completed.


Jumeirah beach. The Palm Jumeirah.

Emirates was safely landed Artaturk International Airport at 5.30pm. Met up my online buddy, Necla, her youngest sister, Sevda and mother in front the arrival hall. Went back their house by taxi.


My VIP room.


Welcome dinner with Necla, Sevda and mother.


The next day, i woke up at 8.30. Breakfast was prepared by Necla.


My friend, Necla is real a pretty girl.


Yerebatan Sarayi.

After breakfast, Necla and i took train to historical sites, Sirkeci, Istanbul. We first went to visit the Basilica Cistern, the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that still lie beneath the city of Istanbul. Also known as Yerebatan Sarayi, it was an underground chamber built during the age of glory of Eastern Rome in the 6th century.


The Medusa head column. Teardrop design column.

There are two mystery columns in this cistern. First is the Medusa head sculptures were placed at the base of the two columns; one of the heads is upside down, while the other is tilted to one side. It is accepted by scientists that they were placed that way deliberately. Another is the teardrop design column which believed is the teardrop design in memory of the slaves who died while building the cistern.


The Hagia Sophia, former church then mosque, now museum.

Later on, we went to Hagia Sophia Museum which is next to the Basilica Cistern. Hagia Sophia is known as Aya Sofya in Greek, built during Emperor Theodosius time but then it was burnt down. Emperor Justinian later ordered to build a new basilica and it had become the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years before it turned to the principal mosque of Istanbul when Mehmet the conqueror converted it into a mosque in 1453.


The corridor of the Imperial gate.


The interior.


The decoration of the ceiling.


Mimbar(Mimber).

A mimbar in a mosque corresponds the function to the pulpit in a church. this is a line example of Ottoman period marble working craftsmanship. 16th Century.



Mosaic of Mary with Christ the child (mid), Emperor John Comnenus II (left) and Empress Eirene (right).



These mosaics are beautiful. Remember to look up or you might miss some of the mosaics. The mosaics were plastered over because the conqueror deemed them inappropriate for a mosque but which were restored later.



Dont forget to look around also when you are in the main hall as you will find four large medallions written in Arabic representing the names of Allah, Mohammed, caliphs Ali and Abu Bakar.


View of Blue Mosque(Sultan Ahmet Camii) from Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia is real huge. We spent couple of hours just looking at its great architectures. We had lunch at a very nice restaurant situated at Hippodrome (Sultan Ahmet square). Staff was funny and food was good.



We then walked towards the main entrance of the Blue Mosque or also known as the Sultan Ahmet Camii. The Blue Mosque faces the Hagia Sophia. Two excellent buildings within sight.


Sultan Ahmet Camii (Blue Mosque).

The Blue Mosque is an active and historical mosque in Istanbul. It is one of the two mosques that has six minarets (beautiful in its proportions) and has become one of the greatest landmarks of Istanbul with its traditional Islamic architecture. Shoes must be taken off to visit the mosque and a proper attire is a must. However, if your clothes are deemed improper, you will be given a cloth to cover yourself, so no worries.


The courtyard.


The dome.


The wide view of the mosque.


Blue mosque is incredibly impressive.

Look what we had done in this whole day. Three major tourist destinations, we were real exhausted. Yet when we reached home, Necla`s mother invited me to stroll along the Sea of Marmara (right two blocks in front of the apartment) before dinner.


Necla, Sevda and mother.


Piraf, fasulye pilaki, bread and berries.

Dinner was cooked before we go out. We had Turkish pilafs and fasulye pilaki (bean cooked with garlic, tomato paste and olive oil).

22 comments:

even said...

士耳其,伊斯坦堡,杜拜...
好似好好玩!
應該好多地方影相都好正!^^
又一個地方想去啦!^0^
大佬富~你攪到我咁多欲望~你要負責呀!哈哈哈~^0^

JiaNi said...

so envy that u can go sooooo many places travel... ^^

assamlaksa said...

everytime after view ur blog, u makes me feel like quitting the job and go travel

Anonymous said...

富,你己經是旅遊達人了.你也可以出旅行遊記書吧!可以將你的見聞與更多的人分享.
我認同你的朋友所講.每次看完你的blog,好想離開一下,到外面見識下的衝動.

YNOT TONY said...

A beautiful place to visit... you are so lucky... r u on facebook?

古小玉 said...

wow.. so many leng lui there.. i want to go also.. :p

Bro,

even said...

係啦~大佬富~不如諗諗佢啦~出書!^0^
如果暢銷就發達啦~卡卡卡~^0^
不過你要送我一本...等我有錢再買多本~哈哈~^0^

nat:哈哈~在這裡留言的都是大佬富的朋友吧!
即是我們都是朋友~別說"你的朋友"吧!
朋友~^^

動 Orson said...

jiani, me also envy him...
dont know when i will gain my opportunity to go kai kai like him...
haa....


u not good la...
make us so....
haa...

古小玉 said...

Ya bro, got ppl suggested u write ur own book then sell to the public,I think that's good idea, I can help to write some articles in your book, if can earn money then u give some to me lar.. :p

Anonymous said...

nice blog ya =) turkey is added on my itinerary list thanks

rachel

fufu said...

even : 那我想我今後要負很多的責任 =)

jiani : you can travel around also ya

jamy : hohoho, work hard now and play harder later ok? i wanna read your backpacking trip to cambodia/vietnam/thailand....

nat : 出書?我沒有想過啦。但可以想一想的 (笑) 成功的話你要來排隊拿簽名

tony : turkey is so great... facebook? only for certain group of friends

fufu said...

khoo : yeah turkish girls are all beautiful =)

even : 哈哈哈 好!見大家甘老友 就書加親筆簽名啦

字言字語 : go kai kai?? anyway everyone of us has different life, light up yours ya!

khoo : lol well i will need your help in Mandarin part =)

rachel : you gotta go visit turkey if you had a chance lol

Yenny said...

大哥如果真係出書,可唔可以都整本俾我啊?我都要有親筆簽名~~~

fufu said...

yenny : ok sure! but please la support me, buy and not ask for free

Yenny said...

Yes yes...
Eh, why did you reply in English and not Cantonese one? @_@

fufu said...

yenny : 對吾起咯 英文比較快嘛

Yenny said...

你偏心﹗:-<

不過如果唔習慣,打英文的而且確係會快好多嘅...

fufu said...

对吾住咯 以后一定照你既comment语言reply咯
满意吗 燕小姐 =p

Yenny said...

咁先係嘅嘛~
宾宾真係乖~

fufu said...

yenny : lol yeah 我係小宾宾

Anonymous said...

that's cool,
lvin' your life~

i kno many frds from different country,i would like to travel around the world and visit them.

i hope i can do it in somedays.

fufu said...

wahcheung : wow wish you real could visit your friends ya one day! erm but before that you shall stay in touch with them ok? all the best =)