Basilica Cistern

Photos of the cisterns beneath the city. It was very spookily lit, with eerie music playing all the way through. It gave me an odd, yet not unpleasant feeling. I suppose most people enjoy being slightly scared when there isn't any actual danger!

There were some huge, ghostly fish in the water.

Head of Medusa....

More pics from Istanbul

Feet of kids on a school trip...

I think the restaurants must drop their discards off in the parks for the animals. That pink stuff on the grass is raw meat.  The crows were gorging. One of them flew by with a lovely bit dangling from its beak - I was terrified that I'd be hit in the head with falling carrion!! Ugh!

Popped into a charming park in the city.....

Saw a bunch of folks holding hands, chanting and singing. No idea what it was all about!

Haggia Sofia

Couldn't wait to see this.  It didn't disappoint. I could just imagine all the intrigues through the ages...

Back in Istanbul

Grand Bazaar. Felt very familiar, since it reminded me of the souqs in Dubai.

On the way back to the hotel, we spotted a bride and groom. I think the were Asian, so they came a long way to get married!

From hotel room window

Pamukkale

Warning - these pics are going to be sickeningly pretty. It was one of those picture postcard days. No re-touching!

Ephesus

Finally getting round to putting some more vacation pics.  Only 4 months late - that's not terrible, right?!

Anyway, here are some from the ancient city of Ephesus.  First leg, travelling to the House of the Virgin Mary. The air was very cool and refreshing up there, but there were crowds milling around constantly. There was a service going on beside the house when we were there. I thought again, as I often have, about how nice it would be if I had that kind of faith. Too many doubts in my basket.

Then onwards to walk through some ruins. I did love strolling though the little street areas, pretending I was living in olden times. And once again, there were cats everywhere. How do they up there?!

Old-time public loos! Note the lack of partitions so that you can have a nice little (or long) chat with your neighbour while, um, answering nature's call. I guess this is the low-tech version of texting while in the loo.

Apparently, this is a type of advertising from those days, with the carving of the foot pointing towards the local brothel. PR through the ages!

The Library of Celsus - my kind of place!