In the middle of October, I took a quick trip to Istanbul, Turkey to catch up with a bunch of friends and run a 15 km race. I have heard a lot of people say that Istanbul is great, but I've always been more of a 'do-er' than a 'see-er', so I didn't generally believe that I would enjoy it as much. I was wrong. Istanbul is a very fun city to go to. It feels very European with the narrow streets and construction, but the Islamic influence is also pervasive and makes a very interesting contrast. Also, some of the old Christian Cathedrals have been "converted" to Islamic Mosques. But the original frescoes are frequently still there.
The 15k went well (68:30 ain't too shabby for someone who really hasn't trained for it) and I had a really great time catching up with some good friends. I'm not much of a shopper, but the colors and detail work almost make shopping a trip to a museum. Very interesting stuff!
This is an ancient cistern:
An old Cathedral (still Christian)
A huge palace grounds / park:
Spice Market:
The blue mosque:
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