We spent Monday morning reviewing some photography basics - light, composition, looking for the moment, rule of thirds- before heading to our first stop, a rooftop restaurant, for lunch and commanding views of Istanbul. I got a sense for the size of the city from this vantage point. Fifteen million people makes for a large footprint.
Our first stop to photograph was the Topkapi Palace where the old Ottoman Royalty used to call home. The Harem is open for viewing. This glimpse into the world of the Women of the Harem was fascinating. Beds large enough to sleep a crowd were interspersed with public rooms with long floor level couches. The domed ceilings are covered with colorful inlaid tiles. Stained glass windows filter the incoming light. It was really quite large I'm sure to house a bevy of lovely ladies.
Back outside, I wondered around the courtyards along with hundreds of other tourists, many from the cruise ships that have docked for a day of sightseeing. Because we were here mostly to shoot pictures, we really didn't spend time learning the history of the palace. There was a lovely porch area with a view of the Bosphorus River and all its boat traffic.
Our next stop was a rooftop bar for views of the Blue Mosque at sunset. Ira knows the owner who was obviously quite happy to see him. We all set up our tripods to capture sunset. It was really spectacular!!!
For dinner, four of us took the tram to the Galata side to a fish restaurant. For a Monday night, the city was really hopping. We shared mezes and then sampled the fishes of the day - Bonita and Blue - along with chicken and mussels. The walk back took us along the water where charcoal grills were cooking fish sandwiches for the locals. They actually looked delicious. Maybe later this week.....
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