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| TURKEY II | |||||||||||||||
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| Aya Sophia - Istambul-Turkey - October/2000 | |||||||||||||||
| "Aya Sofya" is named as the "Church of the Divine Wisdom". It was built by Emperor Justinian as an effort to restore the greatness of the Roman Empire. Its construction was concluded in 537 after Christ and reigned as the greatest church in Christendom until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. As for us, despites the "common understanding" that the Blue Mosque is the most beautiful religious monument of Istanbul, "Church of Sancta Sophia" (as the Aya Sofya is also known) was more gorgeous. Definitely, Sultan Ahmet Camii would not like to hear that - hehe!! The interior of "Aya Sofya" is full of mosaics (most of them in gold) which form figures of the Holy Family and etc. Definitely beautiful!!! | |||||||||||||||
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| One of the favorite places we visited in Istanbul was the "Kapali Carsi" (built in the 15th century). The "Grand Bazaar" (in English) has around 4000 shops lining kilometers of streets where you can buy almost anything you look for, from Turkish carpets, old coins, jewelries, souvenirs, etc. to brand-named purses, wallets, watches. People say that the Turks can even sell their own mothers in the Grand Bazaar if you offer them a good price! Hehe. In fact, everything you buy there is subjected to great bargaining.... sometimes, the goods' original offered price gets down to 40 or 50% less when you get to definitely paying it. Even if you don't go there for shopping, it is worth seeing it, because all the shops that surround the entire bazaar turn the place as a colorful beautiful scene. | |||||||||||||||
| The Grand Bazaar - Istambul/Turkey - October/2000 | |||||||||||||||
| see our latest trip - Portugal/2002 | |||||||||||||||