Mosque after mosque after mosque

This morning was concentrated with nonstop visits to local mosques. We first headed to Sultan Ahmet, which was also known as the Blue Mosque. We were all required to take off our shoes before entering the Islamic place of worship. We then visited Topkapi Palace; I was amazed with all of its ancient relics, intricate mosaics and incredible views of the Bosphorous. After lunch, we reconvened to go through a dark, underground water cistern. It was the same location where the James Bond movie, “From Russia with Love” was filmed. I was surprised to see fish living down there, as well as a couple of Medusa head carvings.

The Blue Mosque has six minarets.

Afterwards, we headed to the Pera District of the city and had free time to explore. The place was crowded with people from all around the world, giving the district a cosmopolitan feel. Because the intense rays of the sun had been beating down on our necks the whole day, our group headed to Mado, a high-end Turkish ice cream restaurant. The ice cream in Turkey is very different from Italian gelato; it’s significantly more stretchy and malleable. After more outdoor wandering, we ended the night with another satisfying group dinner (covered by the program, of course).

Pera District at first glance.