G'Bye Istanbul

I love Istanbul - it is exotic, beautiful, exciting. Definately not restful - so we are headed to Selcuk, Mark's hometown that fits that need.  A long bus ride of 10 hours including a ferry ride to cross the Marmaris Sea makes for a long trip.  We both agree that next time, we fly!

i took these pics from the roof of our hotel, at sunset.  Above is the Blue Mosque, Below is Aya Sofya - once the largest Christian church.  in Byzantine times, this area was all Christian.  The Persians invaded and turned the area Muslim, converting the churches to mosques. thus began 200 years of crusades as the Christians attempted to reclaim the area.  Genghis Khan came in and was able to conquer the weakened muslims but was followed by the Seljuks who were the first Turks and began the Ottoman Empire.  This lasted until World War I when all was a mess. Siding with the Germans, who lost the war, the former Ottoman empire was divided amongst the victors. Atataurk, the general who lead the Turks at Gallipolli, took charge of the former ottoman army and claimed the area now known at Turkey.  Thus began the modern country of Turkey in 1923.  Attaturk removed religion from the government and created a democracy - the only muslim country to do so.  This is all in jeopardy as the country struggles with the constitution and growing religious movements.  August 30 is Turkey's Independence day.