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Sunset and sunrise from the water....just snap away and enjoy yourself!
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 by mvtouringLeave a Comment
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If you wondered why there were so many columns & obelisk thingies around the hippodrome, then I cn tell you that it was to raise the image of his new capital. Constantine and his successors, especially Theodosius the Great, brought works of art from all over the empire to adorn it. The monuments were set up in the middle of the Hippodrome, the spina. Among these was the Tripod of Plataea, now known as the Serpent Column, cast to celebrate the victory of the Greeks over the Persians during the Persian Wars in the 5th century BC. Constantine ordered the Tripod to be moved from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and set in middle of the Hippodrome. The top was adorned with a golden bowl supported by three serpent heads. The bowl was destroyed or stolen during the Fourth Crusade. The serpent heads were destroyed as late as the end of the 17th Century, as many Ottoman miniatures show they were intact in the early centuries following the Turkish conquest of the city. Parts of the heads were recovered and are displayed at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. All that remains of the Delphi Tripod today is the base, known as the "Serpentine Column". Leave a Comment
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Next thing you will notice at the hippodrome is the massive Eqiptian obelisk which was placed there by another emperor to adorn the Hippodrome - Theodosius the Great, - who in 390 brought the obelisk from Egypt and erected it inside the racing track. Carved from pink granite, it was originally erected at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor during the reign of Tuthmosis III in about 1490 BC. Theodosius had the obelisk cut into three pieces and brought to Constantinople. Only the top section survives, and it stands today where Theodosius placed it, on a marble pedestal. The obelisk has survived nearly 3,500 years in astonishingly good condition. Leave a Comment
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 by mvtouringLeave a Comment
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Visiting a hamman (turkish bath) is one of those things that I would really recommend. We struggled to find one that was open during the Ramazaan celebrations, but our hotel guy found this one in the old town that was operating. We were received by a young gentleman that explained the cost from 15 lire to 45 lire depending on what you wanted done. Then we were taken to the change rooms and handed over to the woman that was going to do the bathing and massaging. After changing into our bathers, we were taken to the steam room and shown to throw water over us. Then we were asked to come and lie on the marble slab in the middle of the room. After using a loofa and removing all dead skin, we had to pour water over us again to cleans ourselves. Then we were soaped down and massaged before taking a lovely dip in the pool just outside the steam room. Then it was back into the steam room for a while before being taken back to the change rooms. A really lovely experience. Leave a Comment
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Walking around in the evenings, you get great photo opportunities. I felt quite safe with us two females walking around on our own, but obviously we avoided the dark alley's. Leave a Comment
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We loved visiting the spice bazaar. It is not as crowded as the grand Bazaar and the shop owners allow you to look at the stuff without presurising you to come into their shops etc. The products on sale here are also quite different from what you will find at the Grand Bazaar. A very interesting place to visit. Our guide told us that all locals come here to shop. Leave a Comment
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This bazaar is quite out of the way, and they do not really haggle over price here. I think it is one of those places where the locals shop more than the tourists. Very interesting old building with lovely shops that are not too expensive. Leave a Comment Directions: Just up the road from the Crown Plaza old town.
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