The photo problem is solved! Apparently, you can't copy and paste photos... you must upload them. At least it's fixed!
We spent the remainder of the week doing a lot of necessary/bureaucratic work on campus. We applied for our residency permits outside of Sultanahment, learned a lot of Turkish in a short period of time, finished errands, and where schooled on how the semester would go and the University.
Finally, on Friday, we were able to travel to Sultanahmet, the old city. Our first stop was Topkapı Palace. It is a huge complex built in the late 1400s that was used as the "administrative seat" of the Ottoman Empire and the residence of the Sultans for hundreds of years. The palace was beautiful, with unbelievable tile work. Here is the gate:
There are several courtyards and buildings, many of which are filled with Ottoman artifacts. You are not allowed to take photos of the pieces. However, you can take photos of the buildings, grounds and vistas, so I have tons. As I mentioned, one of the most striking aspects of the palace is the tile work. It is all hand painted, and covers the buildings floor to ceiling. The theme is blue and green, and the designs aligns almost perfectly. I can't imagine the time and care it took to outfit the entire palace. Here are just a few pictures of the magnificent tile work.
To view the Harem, where the family and concubines lived, you had to pay an additional 15 TL, but it was absolutely worth it. That is where the tile work is most amazing, and it was so cool to see where the Sultans lived. The rooms were filled with beautiful rugs and fancy beds and places to relax. Here are a few more photos:
Finally, the grounds had amazing views of the Bosphorus. You could see both Asia (on the right) and Europe, as well as the part of Istanbul where the palace is, called the Golden Horn. Here is a photo of some kids from the CIEE Exchange group and photos from one of the terraces:
Even though the skies were dark, it was a beautiful place and a beautiful day. Next up? The Grand Bazaar!
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