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Estelle Bingham starts her exploration of
the ancient city of Istanbul at the famous Topkapi
Palace, former home of sultans and their concubines.
From there she visits the former seat of  Christendom, the
beautiful Aya Sophia church.
She interrupts her sight-seeing for a day trip to Gallipoli,
the site of an infamous World War I battlefield in which thousands
of Anzac soldiers died.
Continuing her journey around Istanbul, she visits the opulent Pera Palace hotel, visited by Agatha Christie
amongst many others, and has a belly dancing lesson
from some gypsies.
She visits the Florence Nightingale museum and
has some retail therapy in the Grand Bazaar,
one of the largest markets in the world. She takes another
day trip to the amazing Edirne Wrestling Festival,
with over 1000 well-oiled men competing for the gold belt.
Her last day in Istanbul has her visiting the famous Blue
Mosque, and going to see some Whirling Dervishes. |
