Istanbul

"Travel brings power and love back into your life." Rumi

Previously known as Byzantium then Constantinople and having served as the capital of the Roman Empire through to the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul is a city I'd wanted to visit ever since learning about 'Asia Minor' in my favourite subject of geography at school.  Decades later I finally have and just returned from enjoying five days of exploring the best that Istanbul has to offer.  Perhaps during Ramadan is not the ideal time to go, but made for an even more interesting experience.  Traffic is a notorious problem in Istanbul at the best of times, but factor into the mix the majority of inhabitants fast from sunrise to sunset (with not even water to drink) and it makes for a lot of very cranky drivers by the end of the afternoon.  As the largest city in Europe (17 million inhabitants) Istanbul is the cultural, economic and financial centre of Turkey, located on the Bosphorous Strait.  It's the only metropolis in the world situated on two continents, Europe and Asia.  From the shopping temptations of the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar to the sightseeing draws of the Hagia Sophia; Blue Mosque; and impressive Topkapi Palace, you're spoilt for choice.  Just don't challenge a taxi driver about the fare during Ramadan and instead channel Rumi, the Persian poet and mystic, for some inspiration: "And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself".

More on Istanbul and Turkish culinary delights to follow...