2: Outside one of the mausoleums
3: Outside the Blue Mosque
4: Inside one of the mausoleums
5: Near Hagia Sophia
I've been awoken the last few mornings at 4.20am to the Mullah singing prayers and calling the faithful to services. This lasts for about five minutes and happens a couple of times during the day into the night until 10.45pm. The singing is amplified through a number of speakers attached to each of the six minarets - it's quite loud even with the windows shut. This is transmitted across a number of the large mosques. It's nice but would be nicer a little later in the morning.
K is still not feeling well and needed a fair rest after breakfast. I went for a long walk down some amazing little backstreets where no tourists seem to be only the locals. I asked several people if I could take their picture and all happily agreed and some even thanking me!
Upon return K was active again so we visited the Basilica Cistern. Thanks for the suggestion Helen. This is an underground mosque built 1500 years ago that is partially submerged in water. It's most famous offering are the two columns adorned with Medusa. A very beautiful place.
We then saw the mausoleums attached to Hagia Sophia that host the immediate families of several Ottoman sultans dating back several centuries. The Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum built almost 1500 years ago.
Tomorrow we have an early start as we spend the day at Gallipoli.
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