Thursday, November 11, 2010

Topkapı Sarayı (Palace) Museum (Istanbul, Turkey)



TS:
Call us crazy, but we visited the Topkapı Palace on the same day as the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofya.


The Imperial Gate (entrance to Topkapı Palace)


Walking through the First Courtyard.

TS:
Never mind that the Topkapı Palace has very extensive grounds!



TS:
Well, it would have been just fine, if not for the fact that we wasted precious time and energy walking to the Grand Bazaar only to find it closed.



TS:
We had to go the opposite direction to arrive at the Palace.



TS:
A mistake we made was not heading for the Harem immediately upon arrival. Supposedly, the Harem is the thing to see.





TS:
Oh well.

We simply did not have the requisite time and energy to tack on the Harem to the end of our long day.





TS:
I actually did not have all my faculties intact during this visit.

With the heat, the jet lag, the previous Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya visits, and the large scale of the site, I was feeling a little overwhelmed.




TS:
Hence, my photos are totally random things that I found interesting while walking around on the palace grounds.




TS:
Sorry for the lack of context.



TS:
With that disclaimer being said, I hope you enjoy the photos.




TS:
So please, for more information on the Topkapı Sarayı Museum, click on the links near the bottom of the post.




For more information:
Turkey Travel Planner: Topkapı Sarayı (Palace) Museum
Wikipedia: Topkapı Palace

Coincidentally enough, I chanced about Martha Stewart's Istanbul Show videos on her website! There's a short description, as well as a video of her visit. This six and a half-minute video is quite informative.
Martha Stewart: Touring Topkapi Palace



eatingclub vancouver in Turkey (September 2010)
Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque) (Istanbul, Turkey)
Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia) (Istanbul, Turkey)
Topkapı Sarayı (Palace) Museum (Istanbul, Turkey)
Turkey Flora
Hierapolis Ruins and Travertines (Pamukkale, Turkey)
Güray Pottery (Avanos, Turkey)

For Turkish dishes:
Turkey (the country, not the fowl)
Turkish Çay (Tea)

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5 comments:

  1. Oh I know that overwhelming feeling from visiting India

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  2. Ooh. So pretty. After anything where there's too much of one type of thing, I always feel overloaded. Which is a shame because afterward I always feel like I would've appreciated it more if I wasn't so exhausted. But it's still nice to experience it anyway.

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  3. I did it in 1 day too b/c I was on a cruise. Your photos are beautiful.

    Sooooooo nice to meet you both at the Festival!

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  4. I was in Istanbul for a short time and could not see the Topkapi; it was closed I think! So I need to return! Love the ceramics.

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  5. kat:
    Oh yeah... Although, perhaps it would be even more overwhelming there. For me, Istanbul wasn't very crowded/full of people.

    Wandering Chopsticks:
    Yeah, it's better to go than not at all. Besides, I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to visit again!

    FOODalogue:
    But I guess you had the ship to relax in afterwards. ;) It was great meeting you too!

    tasteofbeirut:
    I definitely recommend starting in the morning. We were there after noon and there wasn't enough time to see everything.

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