Foto: The Sultan's chamber in the Topkapi Palace. (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Turkey - Around 11:30, we head toward the Sultan’s Topkapi Palace, which was in use until 1909. We first pass through the surrounding wall and reach the main entrance. Funny enough, we run into the same two Belgians we met yesterday. Inside the vast palace, we follow a self-guided tour using a photocopied booklet. The route takes us through the kitchens, the quarters of the pages, and eventually the harem chambers. A separate ticket is required to visit the harem. Access is limited to groups of up to 60 people. Unfortunately, the English tour is sold out just before our turn, so we join the German-language group. The harem provides insight into the lives of the Sultan’s wives, his mother, and the Sultan himself. During the tour, a heavy thunderstorm erupts—the first rain of our trip. Water flows rapidly through the drainage channels. Once the rain subsides, we continue our palace exploration. In one hall, we ask a question to a Turkish visitor, who immediately starts acting as our impromptu guide. He studies at the University of Istanbul. We get into a debate about whether the displayed hair of the Prophet Muhammad casts a shadow or not. Sadly, we can’t find a video camera with a light to prove our point. By now, it’s nearly 5:00 PM and the palace is closing. We make our way outside.
Cappadocia
Turkey - Cappadocia, located in the heart of Turkey, is known for its cave dwellings, rock churches, and underground cities. This remarkable landscape was formed by successive volcanic eruptions, followed by erosion shaping the terrain. At the heart of Cappadocia ...
Historic Safranbolu
Turkey - Around 1:30 PM, we enter the modern part of Safranbolu. In a restaurant, a man shows us çig köfte. We are allowed to taste it first. It tastes excellent, and the dish is served in a wrap. We only wonder if it contains raw meat when we eat the wrap. ...
Kurdish city Diyarbakir
Turkey - I visit the Nebi Camii Mosque. The mosque is built of layers of white and black stone, a style characteristic of Diyarbakır. I ask an older man if I may go inside. He nods affirmatively. The small mosque has a beautiful old appearance. Back outside, ...
Mount Nemrut
Turkey - When I step off the bus at 2,000 meters, I am in the clouds. A strong, fresh wind blows across the parking lot. I follow Bedir along the path to the top of the burial mound. A remarkable walk, with visibility of barely twenty meters. I cover my face against ...
The ancient city of Ephesus
Turkey - The ancient city of Ephesus, or Efes in Turkish, was one of the thriving metropolises of classical antiquity. The archaeological site is among the largest excavations from ancient Greece. At the ticket counter, we can choose a ticket for Ephesus alone ...
The Hagia Sophia Mosque
Turkey - Hagia Sophia, located in the heart of Istanbul, is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Originally built as a Greek Orthodox cathedral in 537 during the Byzantine Empire, Hagia Sophia was the largest building in the world for centuries and served ...
The horse of Troy
Turkey - In about 25 minutes, the ferry carries us to the Asian part of Turkey. We arrive in the city of Çanakkale. Right next to the harbor, on the boulevard, stands a large wooden Trojan Horse. We cannot find a parking spot to stop, so we slowly drive past ...
The Ottoman houses of Amasya
Turkey - Around four o’clock, we enter Amasya. On the north side of the Yeşilırmak River stand the old Ottoman houses, beautifully reflected in the water. Just behind and above this neighborhood lie the Pontic royal tombs. The Tombs of the Pontic Kings are ...
The Sumela Monastery
Turkey - Because we could not drive through the mountains yesterday afternoon, we have to go back a bit to visit the Sumela Monastery. We can only view the monastery from the outside. It is closed for renovations until September. We set out extra early because ...
The travertine terraces of Pamukkale
Turkey - As soon as we enter Pamukkale, we are beckoned. Someone asks if we want to buy a booklet about Pamukkale. Very cheap, they emphasize. When we decline, they point out that we can turn right to park or go straight. We drive straight and park the car with ...