Crossroads Tour: A Palace Museum – The Director’s Cut

I spent my last day at the Ibrahim Pasa Palace, an Ottoman palace that houses the Islamic Art and Ethnology Museum.

Crossroads Tour: A Final Day in Istanbul – The Director’s Cut

I fill to the gills every moment of my final hours in Istanbul ...

Crossroads Tour: A Jade Sea and a Surrey – The Director’s Cut

I'm off to the Kabatas Ferry, the Sea of Marmara and a day at the Princes Islands.

Crossroads Tour: Ayasofya – The Director’s Cut

This Ayasofya is among the oldest religious sites in the world, dating to 537 AD. It is also among the most important examples of Byzantine architecture still standing.

Crossroads Tour: a Hamami, a Camii, a Lost Taxi – The Director’s Cut

As Chief Architect, Mimar Sinan designed and restored 477 buildings and public works. The Suleyman Camii is regarded as one of his greatest achievements.

Crossroads Tour: The Islamic Science Museum – The Director’s Cut

I hurry on to the Islamic Science Museum, eager to see how it compares to the Galileo Museum in Florence.

Crossroads Tour: The Bosphorus – The Director’s Cut

We reach our final destination, the small fishing village of Anadolu Cavagi that sits at the base of a hill, crested by Yoros Kalesi. A waiter at a restaurant points me towards the steep path that will lead me to the ruins of the fortress.

Crossroads Tour: The Topkapi Palace – The Director’s Cut

The Topkapi Palace, built between 1460-78, is a walled complex covering 700,000 square meters, comprised of three courtyards, several gardens and all the buildings required for a royal administrative city.

Crossroads Tour: Sleepless in the Sultanahmet – The Director’s Cut

The weather is overcast, like my mood. I'm mentally fatigued. I cannot get onto the WIFI. Maybe Istanbul is too challenging for me. Maybe I need to return home...

Crossroads Tour: The Grand Bazaar – The Director’s Cut

The Grand Bazaar is as large and noisy as you would expect a 5,000 store shopping mall to be. Rick Steves says to spend about 2 hours here, which is about as much time as a human has before their retinas start to melt.