Basilica Cistern

Spring 2012 - Istanbul

So this place is beautiful. 

The Basilica Cistern lies beneath the modern metropolis of Istanbul, quietly still standing after about seventeen hundred years. It was probably originally built to hold water for the palace complex of Constantinople, though it certainly was not the only one (we had dinner in another cistern that's been converted).

The Little Sister

Spring 2012 - Istanbul

There is no where you can go in this city that is not beautiful. The first photo was taken walking towards the Little Hagia Sophia, which you can see in the back of the shot, the second from the outside, and the third from inside the mosque. I've included that third, not so fancy photo predominantly because of how cool this church-now-mosque is. Originally know as the Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus, (a mouthful, to say the least) the church was literally a miniature version of the Hagia Sofia, though it was built first. Like the Hagia Sofia it was converted into a mosque, but it still has the bones of a Byzantine church for sure. Check out the resemblance between these columns and those of it's larger sister church, and oh wait, does the dome seem to be floating to you?

The fourth photo is of the ubiquitous Hagia Sophia at night time. One of the reasons I love this photo of it so much is because of the lack of minarets. Nothing against minarets in general, but they weren't part of the original structure, and so it's always interesting to see it that way. 

And then there's the lock. I love the locks. I have a feeling most people do, but hey, they always look good in a photo. This one is on the fence that surrounds the Obelisk of Theodosius - the base of the obelisk in the background, contributed by Theodosius, while the obelisk was clearly just relocated by him. From what I can tell, the lock reads, "Groetjes van: Marlie & Thijs oktober 2009" or "Greetings from: Marlie & Tijs October 2009". That was the pretty obvious translation in Dutch, there. 

The Hagia Sophia

Spring 2012 - Istanbul 

Where do I start? The Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century by the Roman/Byzantine (depends on who you ask) Emperor Justinian. The Church was built very soon after riots had destroyed the previous church on the site. There are many things about the design of this church that made it groundbreaking for it's time, but perhaps the one that hits you the most upon entering (and is most clear from the photos) is the way the central dome seems to float without visible support. 

The third photo is of the Blue Mosque (seen in my last post) from a window of the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia is actually cited for being a major influence on the design of the Blue Mosque, as well as many other mosques throughout the Ottoman Empire. 

The whole thing is absolutely breathtaking - I would go so far as to say the most beautiful church I have ever been in, and I have been in many. 

The Blue Mosque

Spring 2011 - Istanbul

This spring, the family trip was to Istanbul. Being someone who is interested in ancient history, (interested enough to be starting an MSc in Archaeology in the fall...) Istanbul was such an exciting place to be!

The Blue Mosque was our first tourist destination. Known as the Blue Mosque because the inside is covered in blue Iznik tiles, the Mosque is definitely worth a visit. The Blue Mosque sits opposite the Hagia Sofia, the Roman/Byzantine Church then Mosque now Heritage Site. As the design of the Hagia Sofia helped to influence the building of many of the great Mosques around the world, I love that these two famous buildings face each other, as if reminding us.

 

Wintry Mix

Winter (January) 2012 - Holland

Have you ever noticed that the weather sometimes says it's going to be a "Wintry Mix" today? Well, that's almost every day in Holland. Especially in the Winter. 

First photo of the lovely Clouseau, or Clousie as he's known to his closer friends.

Second photo is of Leiden. Usually I'm in Leiden for the street market, so I hardly see this view. Even in the summer, the canal is lined with cafe barges. It's hardly ever this deserted. 

 

Holiday Lights

Winter 2011 - Berlin

One of the main streets in Berlin, the Unter den Linden, (which ends with the Brandenburg Gate,) is completely lined with trees, that were covered in these lights. I love the way these lights bring out the shape of the trees in a more geometric manner than Christmas lights normally do, yet still look winter-y.

Charlottenburg

Winter 2011 - Berlin

These photos are from of the Charlottenburg Palace in Germany and it's surrounding Christmas markets. The family of one of my closest friends from high school are from Berlin, and when we told them that we were going to be there in December, they told us not to miss this market. Though it's a little bit of a trek, (probably a 20 min U - Bahn ride and another 15 min walk,) the trip was definitely worth it. 

This market is huge, with a wonderful range of food stalls and other great items. I am not sure if the palace is usually lit up so beautifully, but I can guess that there's usually not a snowflake present!