Turkey Tour 1 - 15 October

We flew, along with Judith, from Barcelona to Istanbul to start our Insight Turkish Tour, arriving just in time for the evening introduction supper.

The first event for the tour was a cruise on the Bosphorus Strait, which divides the Asian side of Turkey from the European side and connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara.

It was an interesting trip, but after six weeks of beautiful weather, unfortunately it was quite overcast and cool.

The baroque Dolmabahce Palace, 19th Century home of the Ottoman Sultans.

A decorative arch.

At Yenikoy, handsome 19th Century yahs line the waterfront.

A little jetty.

The huge Rumeli Fortress built in 1452 by Sultan Mehmet II.

A traditional Otterman house.

After the cruise left Istanbul and headed south to Iznik, the former capital of the Byzantine Empire. This is the church of Haghia Sophia.

Inside the church of Haghia Sophia. This was the scene of the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church in AD 325 when it was known as Nicea. The meeting produced the famous Nicene Creed, a statement of doctrine on the nature of Christ in relation to God.

That night we stayed in Bursa, the old capital of Turkey.