24 Hours in Istanbul

Erik's second TDY ended up turning into more of an adventure than I think we could have imagined.  After a comedy of errors, he ended up with an unexpected layover in Istanbul.  Being an architect for so many years has given him quite a long bucket list of places to see around the world.  So there he was with an extra 8 hours to sight see.  Of course he chose the Hagia Sophia.

The Hagia Sophia is an important landmark for both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.  It was first a Christian Church and later became a mosque.  It's now a museum, and one of the prides of the Turkish Republic.  One magical thing about this structure is that it is a perfect representation of the two empires that greatly influenced the history of the city of Istanbul.  It truly was a breath taking piece of architecture.  He was able to be there at sunset, which made it even more mystical. He only had his phone, but was still able to capture some great shots.  For more information about the details of the Hagia Sophia check out this link.  Below are some images of the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome.

a little Hagia Sophia Selfie :)

This last image is of the memorial to the victims of  the January 12 bombing.