Photos of Turkey

We arrive in Istanbul at night. Here is our hotel, Hotel Side, in the Sultanhamet district.
Our hotel in daylight.
6th century Haghia Sophia, Istanbul.

This was built as a Byzantine cathedral by the emperor Justinian. When the land was conquered by the moslems it was changed into a mosque by painting over many frescoes though with much Christian symbolism still remaining. The large Arabic disks were put in place only a century ago. In present times it is a museum.

Hagia Sophia.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
Inside view.
The large caligraphy was added in recent times. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
Inside view.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
Much of the interior was blocked by scafolding.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
Inside view.
Haghia Sophia, Istanbul
Before Moslems pray they wash their hands.
Topkapi Palace was the palace of the ruler in Ottoman times. this is the Throne room.
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Pool and terrace, Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Fourth Court, Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.
Covered Bazaar, Istanbul. These corridors go on and on. Our guide is behind Nancy looking at us.
Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
The Sakip Sabanci Museum, along the Bosporus north of Istanbul.

Sabanci is a billionaire who heads one of the coutry's larget industrial conglomerates.

The museum has a great collection of Ottoman calligraphy and in particular Tugras, the Sultan's emblem.

At the Sabanci Museum.
At the Sabanci Museum.
Along the Bosphorus.
Along the Bosphorus.
Along the Bosphorus.
Along the Bosphorus.
We leave the Istanbul area and drive.

Here is the town of Safranbolu, between Ankara and the Black Sea.

Safranbolu.
caves in Safranbolu.
Safranbolu. Note the solar panels. Turkey is concerned with energy efficiency. Every light bulb in the country is flourescent. A large number of homes have solar panels. Liquid natural gas is used as a fuel in many vehicles.
Amasra, on the Black Sea north of Safranbolu.
Black Sea just east of Amasra.
Black Sea just east of Amasra.
Along the main road on the Black Sea.
Black Sea.
City of Amasya, east of Ankara, in north central Turkey.
Amasya.
A street in Amasya.
Our hotel in Amasya.
The Ilk Pansiyon is a faultlessly restored 18th century Armenian mansion with only six rooms.
Another view of the pansiyon in Amasya.
And another view of the hotel in Amasya.
And another view of the hotel in Amasya.
Amasya. The nearly dry river is in front; the mountain with the caves behind the river to the left. And behind the photographer is a giant digital advertising screen.
Sultan Bayezio Mosque in Amasya.
Washing area at the mosque.
Sultan Bayezio Mosque in Amasya.
Sultan Bayezio Mosque in Amasya.
Sultan Bayezio Mosque in Amasya.
Sultan Bayezio Mosque in Amasya.
Slaughter of a sheep at the Buyuk Aga Medresesi, a seminary/university, in Amasya.
Koran students at the same seminary in Amasya.

They memorize the Koran in order to become an Imam, though they have no other higher education. The student on the right was asked to recite a passage from the Koran for us. He did so with the usual intonation.

Cemetary headstones at a camii (mosque) in Amasya.

Isn't the style more interesting than ours?

The Birmahane Medresesi was built in 1308 as a lunatic asylum where music was used in order to pacify the inhabitants. Later this became a music school. Amasya.
The Birmahane Medresesi.
We climbed to the top of a minaret --- a long, long winding staircase --- and saw this view. In Amasya.
Amasya.
Amasya.
This sight is in Goreme, in the Cappadocia region, in south central Turkey. What you see is called a "fairy chimney". This rock formation is due to volcanic activity in the past and then normal erosion of less solid rock.
Another view in Goreme.
Another view in Goreme.
Seeing Nancy you see the scale of these fairy chimneys in Goreme.
These formations also have caves. Goreme.
A cave in the Goreme Open-Air Museum.

Some of the caves such as this one were churches centuries ago. People actually lived down here, in some cases for extended periods of time, in order to hide from plunderers.

A suburb of Kayseri.

We were staying in Goreme but took a drive to the second highest mountain (an extinct volcano) in Turkey, Erciyes Dag. This was on the way. These homes were not painted in as colorful colors as some others that we saw.

Another trip from Gorome was to the Ihlara Valley. This is the view of the gorge as one enters.
Visitors to the Ihlara Valley at the bottom of the ravine but at the beginning of the hike.
Ihlara Valley.
Ihlara Valley. Nancy needs to get across the ravine so she hops on a mule.
Ihlara Valley. Here she is on the other side. What a journey through the river!
Nancy with children of Hasan Uludag, owner of the Canyon View Hotel and the Rose carpet shop in Gorome. We stayed at his hotel and purchased carpets from his shop.