The Ottomans were doing it before ISIS
Istanbul
Kids love to hop on the Taksim Trolley
This guy heads a group that was monitoring the upcoming elections.
He was significant enough that Erdogan's party had smeared him in the media.
A Shop
Two old buildings survive in a more upscale section of Istanbul
Apartments owned by the family of Orhan Pamuk
These apartments are discussed in at least two of Pamuk's books.
Public vending machine to dispense food for stray animals.
The clock tower of the Dolmabahce Palace
The Clock Tower features in The Museum of Innocence
Gate to Dolmabahce Palace
Wanting to be Let Off
The Maiden's Island
This has deep significance for Istanbul. I never quite figured out why.
The Blue Mosque in the Sultan Ahmet district of Istanbul (the oldest part of the city)
Walking now from our hotel in the Kumkapi neighborhood
Nice place for a beer
Our Kumkapi Beer-slinger
Mens Hanging Out Club
Late Night Haircuts are SRO
Lively Restaurant District of Kumkapi at Night
Just one of dozens of restaurants like this
This area was very similar to the Skadarlja section of Belgrade, Serbia. This is not surprising as the line between Turkish Culture and the Balkans is a thin one.
The restaurant we ended up in was hosting a Turkish Wedding. One of several going on in the area.
Advice to the Bride
Egyptian Obelisks installed by the Byzantine's in the Hippodrome
The German Fountain
A gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II during his Ottoman Fetish period
Inside the Archaeology Museum