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Istanbul - pictures and updates

I browsed the net. here its some info you might be interested in:

Yerebatan Sarayý (which translates as “Sunken Palace”) is Ýstanbul’s largest underground cistern. It is the only one in the city that has been renovated and opened for public viewing. The cistern was constructed during the reign of Constantine I in the 4th century and was enlarged by Justinian I in the 6th century.

For much of the Ottoman period it served as little more than a well and a fishing hole for the locals in what is now Sultanahmet. In 1987 the cistern underwent massive restoration work, which included the removal of 50,000 tons of mud and water. Today Yerebatan Sarayý is a major tourist attraction and offers cool respite from Ýstanbul’s searing summer heat. Pulsing lights, water dripping from the ceiling and eerie music played over strategically placed speakers add an air of mystery to the place.

The cistern is 140 by 70 meters (459 by 230 feet) and holds 80,000 cubic meters of water. Supporting the ceiling of small domes are 336 columns, many of which are mismatched and appear to have been pilfered from elsewhere. The purpose of the two large Medusa heads supporting a pair of columns on the north side of the cistern is unknown, since they were not discovered until the cistern was drained..

For all the picture go here

Manolo

From Instanbul

How many months i ve been away from you, my loyal diary????
this means my life has been abit flat lately? maybe its or maye not that much. i kan smell air of change so ..
anyway. I m in turkey now. instanbul to be sharp. writing from an internet point in Fatih zone.
I am alone coz my friend live on the other side of the city, and i didnt feel like taking 2 hour for going(+return) only to see something. i m walking around the city.
I ve been told this Fatih zone is the more “islamic”: maybe it s but as you kan expect all this stereotype we have are wrong. there are woman in typical dresses but most are western dress..

for sake of trueness. instanbul is WEST!! it s the latet city before the asia.
ok. i m losing my point as usual.

on wed i said hello to that aussies dj .. Adam ( whom i ll speak about somewhere) then i make my luggage ( quite light for my standard) going out with Silvia. i kinda like her. she is so “sunny”; and we are in synthony on many thigs. lets see how many c***s she find this summer. and if they are wnough. more info nmext fall.

After that i just decided to skip the night. plane wa at 6:30 and i though it was stupid to sleed 3 hours when u kan sleep on plane / bus/ whatever. travel was kinda good. and fast, coz i slept like a stone. arrived in late afternoon, went around a while in the nite and then home sleeping the first day of turist was quite full.

Saint SOfie was a place it always attracted me ( from books..) it was good.. a bit too naked to say the truth and my friends was in rush ( hate that!) so i was not able to read all hystorikal info i need …
vote 5 out 10

Blue Mosquee (dunno the name in turkish.) was Much better. i think this places are much better than western church to pray. there is no seats, people are barefoot…i think it s give a sense of equality much bigger than church. near the wall there are place where people can read books or bring the childern. dunno but i felt the sense of sacrality there.
vote 7 out 10

Water Basilik.not far them there is this Water basilisk.it s a roman water gathering facility. i didnt expect so much from that but when i was in SHIIIIIIIIT. its great!! very dark atmosfear full of pillar like a sanctuary, water on the floor ( u walk on platform) ambient/electronica music on the back ground
if you have seed Lynch´s movie ..DUNE
it resemble a lot that water collector cellar beneath the arrakis planet. i think this couls have been the source of inspiartion ( being the film pushing strong on islamic culture) well i love the movie and love the basilik..
vote 9/10 !! a MUST see!

i think i wrote too much.

ciao

Ps i forgot look at the letter i kan type on this keyboard ýþðüiçÇÞi !!
Pps I added these video: Istanbul: Very cool promotional movie : cool video, great background music, Tarkan - Sikidim