The Hagia Sophia
This is the Hagia Sophia shot from outside the Blue Mosque. It is a magnificent building. It is also 1500 years old, originally constructed as a cathedral, serving as the centre of the Eastern Orthodox Church for 1000 years. In 1453 it was converted into a Mosque, and was the principal mosque of Istanbul.
A shot of the interior.
There are cats everywhere in Istanbul, including this one which has made the Sophia his home. He’s found a nice perch and just sits there happily. I suspect he is the most patted cat of all time – almost every visitor gives him a rub.
One of the images in the upstairs gallery.
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Tags: DPF, Middle East, Turkey
November 10th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Hmmm. I don’t pat strange cats anymore. I patted a cat in Fiji once and caught some bug that I had to cover my body in ointment to get rid of again. Very bad. Scabies? Something like that. Anyway, that experience put me off, no matter how cute the animal.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Yeah – a mate of mine got rabies in South America from a puppy.
DPF – did you get to the very top and see the runes carved in the stone by some bored Varangian a thousand years ago. ‘Wulfhere was here’ or something like that.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I always spit on the Venetian Doge Dandolo’s grave when I go there. He led the looting and destruction of Byzantium in the Fourth Crusade.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
MIke S – Mind you – those horses look damned good in the Piazza San Marco.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
It also causes workers to build improvements 50% faster, and its effects expire with the discovery of Steam Power.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
The Hagia Sophia causes workers to build improvements 50% faster, or patting cats causes workers to build improvements 50% faster? And why does steam power impact on cats?
And, what about that statement causes a thumbs up? Just because it is Ryan?
November 10th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
So, picked up an Olympus camera of some sort?
Fantastic building btw.
[DPF: Olympus X-42. 250 Turkish Lira and has a 5x optical zoom. Not intended to be final camera - will buy back home.
Any advice on good but affordable camera is welcome. I'm not a pro and prefer automatic cameras, and also small and light - but with good zoom]
November 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Just because it is Ryan?
Without wanting to steal Ryan’s thunder when he gleefully explains it to you, it could be termed a gaming reference. Was going to say ‘pop culture’ but that’s quite wrong.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Did you see the Viking Graffitio?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Sid Meier’s CIVILZATION.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Ah, now I see. I clearly need more gaming. I’m an amateur gamer, so I’m stuck at BOS Wars at the moment. But it is open source and quick to learn……
November 11th, 2009 at 8:27 am
I think most people ARE amateurs! Civilization really is outstanding though, oh dear.