Istanbul On the Rise

I know folks go crazy over the art and architecture in Europe, mainly Italy, but Middle Eastern tastes distract me to far greater debts. The patterns and colors are so dusty, rustic, and intricate. I've always wanted to go to India,

but Istanbul is my latest destination of interest!

Inside the Blue Mosque

Hagia Sophia entrance

Topkapi Palace

Whirling Dervishes

These photos were found via rasims1 flickr page.

"Arriving in Istanbul"

Ciragan Palace

Ortakoy Camii

These photos were found via aa440 flickr page.

Blue Mosque Interior

Basilica Cistern

"Constructed in the 6th century during the reign of imperator Justinianus, it is 70m width and 140 m in length. 9800 sq.m., 226 marble columns"

If there are any Bachelorette fans out there, you might recognize this scene season 6 of the Bachelorette where Ali takes Frank on a date here. Oh so beautiful.

These photos were found via dmartynkin flickr page.

Hagia Sophia

This photo was found via tazzina in de uorld's flickr page.

What a splendid shot!

Turkish kitties? Even better.

I want to see the everyday life things...

These photographs were found via nefisdurun flickr page.

I really like these pictures. They're very reminiscent of Catier Bresson.