Have you ever had a feeling that your heart and mind are confused by visiting a place as a tourist? I mean not being clear about the culture and the momuments and all the sent out energy of the place? And following that confusion, a light or heavier sadness falling upon you supported by the rainy weather and the birds and the voices around you; complemented by the history of the place?
Instabul or Constantinople is such a place... at the junction of Europe and Asia, at the edge between two worlds, two religions. Constantinople named after its founder Emperor Constantine the Great on 330 AD, became the One City of all eastern Europe and minor Asia. All roads were leading to it.
-Where are you going?
- To the City ("Eis tin Polin" in Greek)
...Which when incorporated in turkish language became "Ins-ta-bul".
These are some photos from "going to the City" and diving in its history.
The light of the sunset will be there in the infinity of time. But does this light come from the sun or from the Holy Wisdom's Church?(the english translation of Aghia Sophia). ...and there you stand prefering that soft and marvelous light instead of all the sunsets of the world.
Dolmabahçe palace under siege by thousands of sea-guls, or they might be its guards to protect this beautiful building from the crows of the city. Crows instead of pigeons in every park wherever my glance looked at; crows the keepers of the dark secrets of the past.
No modern constructions, no technological achievements can change the character of this city. There are bridges of the now and there are walls of the past. They both have their place in the tradition and in the expectation...
The underground City with so many faces. The silent Byzantine kinsterna, to the noisy Great Bazaar (actually above the ground but with so many tunels and corridors that makes you feel walking well underground ...).
At the Galata area one walks in narrow streets coming out of a mix of medievial and nineteenth century eras. The greater area was named "Peran" (in Greek) meaning "beyond" since it is separated from the main Buzantine City by Keratios gulf. From the tower of Galata one overlooks the gulf, Vosporus and further beyond Aghia Sophia.
...Leaving the City after having visited all the main attractions and lived its amalgamatic nature brings a feeling of gratitude for the experience and wishing that the mixing of cultures is performed neither through violence and wars nor through a luke warm and colorless globalization.
Take care and travel!
(all photos originally shot during my visit to the City)