Istanbul

Istanbul was great. The "tourist" center was easy to see on foot, and there was lots to see and do. The Blue Mosque (seen behind Shelley and Rick) was quite something - the ceilings inside high and beautifully painted. The Aya Sofia - a Christian cathedral that had been turned into a mosque, is now a museum, right across from the Blue mosque. Inside, you can see painted ceilings, where the layers of paint have been uncovered to reveal the "original" art work from the time that it was a cathedral. Rick had a chance to try out his pottery skills at a shop we wandered into. We also wandered down into the Roman underground cistern - it would be a great place for some spooky movie scenes!