Astride two Continents

After Chris and I finished our whirlwing trip through Central and Eastern Europe, we were able to have a nice relaxing time in Brussels. It was nice, very nice in fact. Calm and comfortable.

This was the end of our trip, but merely the beginning of the next leg of an even bigger trip for more of us!

In London, our old friends Guy and Oliver were waiting for us.

After a bit of fun in London, we caught our British Airways flight towards something far more alien than what we had been experiencing in Europe.

TURKEY!!!

The four of us were travelling through the Middle East together, hugging the Mediterranean coast.

The first stop was Istanbul.

After a tiring night, we headed out bright and early the next morning.

Hagia Sofia.
Having stood in dozens of cathederals over the past two months, I was not expecting to be put in such awe.

The former Byzantine catherderal and now mosque is like nothing I have ever seen.
The colours and the sights took all of our breaths away.
Standing inside, it felt as though little had changed since the days of Justinian and Belisarius.
.... with the exception of a few new minurets that is.....