A few photos from my last visit to Istanbul which may be my favorite city to visit. On a rainy evening after dining at at open air restaurant I ventured to the Hagia Sophia for a pic without the typical crowds. The Hagia Sophia was constructed in 537 as the Patriarchal Cathedral (Eastern Orthodox) and was later converted to a Mosque after the Ottoman invasion. In 1935 the secular Turkish Government designated it to a museum and in recent years has been the most visited site in the city. In 2020 fundamentalists pressured the government to convert it back into a Mosque. Hopefully they won’t again cover the mosaics of Christ they have spent decades restoring. Near the Hagia Sophia is the Hippodome which was a circus and below was the Basilica Cistern which served Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century. The trolley (#410) was built in 1914 in Germany and serves the Taksim-Tunel line. The line is the second oldest subway (1875) second only to London’s Underground (1863). Few pics of the Grand Bazaar (including wife checking out the gold) contrasted with the crowded merchant streets that locals frequent. Love the fresh pomegranate juice and of course the water closets. On my IPad the photos seem dull unless downloaded.