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Turkish/Georgian Vacation Recap – Part 4

Missed Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3? Ali and I spent our last day in Istanbul visiting Dolmabahçe Palace.  This beautiful piece of architecture sits along the Bosphorus.  It was home to the Sultans between 1856-1922.  Below is a view of the palace from our ferry ride the previous day.  While Topkapi Palace (located in Old City and the more popular tourist attraction) was built using classic Ottoman architecture, Dolmabahçe Palace was built with French influence in mind.  Look at  the…

Turkish/Georgian Vacation Recap – Part 3

Missed Part 1, and Part 2? Days 2 and 3 were spent touring Istanbul.  After a yummy breakfast (more food pics from my trip here) Ali and I headed to the Galata Tower where there were magnificent views of the city. Afterwards we hopped onto a tram towards  Old City and visited the Basilica Cistern - so stunning. This was built in the 5th century during the Byzantine Empire. We rented walking audio guides - well worth the $5. Next was…

Turkish/Georgian Vacation Recap – Part 1

A couple of weeks I was vacationing in Istanbul, Turkey and Tbilisi, Georgia.  For those unfamiliar with those two countries, they are located in Europe/Asia and border the Black Sea. Image: Google Maps Due to a combination of work, life and procrastination I did not book my airline ticket until a month prior to my trip (I know bad Jen).  I originally looked at a direct flight from DC to Istanbul (would leave after work on Friday), but in a…