I was pleased to be able to spend a few days in Istanbul, Turkey this week.  This city, often described as spanning two continents, lives up to its name with the influence of so many cultures on show.

On this blog post I’m going to let the images do most of the talking but just to mention:

The mosques: what a city in which to make my first visit inside one of these grand buildings.  There is a wealth of history behind the mosques in Istanbul and plenty of guidance to make the most of a visit here.  Visiting tip: find out when the prayer times are; it’s easier to visit outside of them.  On that subject, as this was something of a last-minute trip, the religious influence of the city hadn’t completely sunk in, but the unmistakable sound of the Ezan (call to worship) at about 4.45am was a nice reminder of where I was in the world.

The Bosphorus: great to have had the time for a cruise through the city along this internationally significant strait, with Europe on one side and Asia on the other.

Basilica Cistern: there are many ancient cisterns under the streets of Istanbul and the Basilica is the largest of them.

Cuisine: again a wonderful mix of cultures here (including Subway).