Mosques!

(Süleymaniye Camii)

The return of Spring - and the fact that we're not going to be here much longer - has prompted some much neglected tourism on our part.  We/I have decided that I really needed to see a lot more that this city has to offer before I make my grand departure so we're going to, and please hold me to this statement, do one touristy thing per week.  Don't worry, parents, I haven't seen much so a lot of our sightseeing will be new to me, too.

So yeah, that'll mean that I'll have a lot more pictures to show for all my time spent in Turkey.  First up, initial explorations into the iconic minarets and domes of the Istanbul skyline...

(The entry-way to Yeni Camii.)

(Inside Yeni Camii or "New Mosque."  Construction of the mosque began in 1597.  That's right: The "new" mosque is that old.)

 (Süleymaniye Camii, built between 1550-1557, designed by the famed architect Sinan, it's the second largest mosque in Istanbul.)

 (The inner courtyard of Süleymaniye Camii)

 (The height of the dome inside Süleymaniye Camii is exactly twice the diameter of the dome, or so I've read.)

 (Inside Süleymaniye Camii)

(Eminonu ferry terminal.  I don't know those people, but taking a picture sans-strangers is impossible.)

The Istanbul Archeological Museum (An Olde Poste of Early January)

(Behold!  Ancient Pagan Rites!)

Boldly flaunting our Sunday Morning Motivation in the face of a cruel Istanbul January, we ventured out under the steely gray skies of the city in search of adventure.  In search of fulfillment!  In search of enlightenment!  In search of some semblance of belonging in this rich loam of history that both buries and nourishes the rollicking garden we call Istanbul.

None of which we found.  We did, however, find a full Turkish breakfast (of which there are no photographs), the Istanbul Archeological Museum, and a straight-up cloudy nargile/backgammon cafe.  To put it in more readable terms...

Alas, our search was in vain.  Adventure, always the cruel mistress, chose not to reveal herself this day.  Our palettes whetted by the adventurous weather that the damsel left in her wake, we boldly and foolishly plunged forward, perhaps discovering even greater treasures and pleasures than we had originally intended to!  For our path, while lacking in adventure, fulfillment, and enlightenment led us to a cornucopia of cultural and historical delights the likes of which have rarely been espied by man's eyes.  These delights I shall now try to describe to you with a limited number of accompanying photographic aids...

The stone-paved entryway to Halle of Antiquarian Artefacts.  Note the few barbarous souls braving the tempest to glimpse the treasures contained within.  Note their queer dress, mannerisms, and social habits.

Ah! The ancient Quardricat of Carthage.  Carved of the finest granite quarried by fallen armies turned to slaves, this ancient feline guardianess protects the Halle of Ancient Artefacts.

 Even the heavily guarded Halle falls victim to the cruel hand of theft!  Alert the guards, and if the guards be of no use, alert...

...Baal of the ancients!

A new past-time discovered!  Tavla, the age old Turkish game of wit, logic, strategy and will!  Reaching the end of this chapter of Personal History, I put forth a challenge:  Caption of the captionless!  Provide the Secret History of the documented Artefacts!