A tour through Istanbul
The LetsGoDigital team took the opportunity to do a little sightseeing in Istanbul after the CeBIT Bilisim Eurasia. From our hotel we took a taxi into a part of Istanbul's amazing city called:Sultanahmet. Our first visit is the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, built between 1609 and 1616, by the achitect Mehmet. The mosque is more familiarly known as the Bleu Mosque because of its interior gleams with a magnificent paneling of blue and white Iznik tiles. The sacred atmosphere is still noticable for someone who sits still on the carpets in the Mosque, comtemplating and praying. On the outside during the tourist season an evening light and sound show, both entertains and informs. From there we walk over to the Ayasofya museum, one of the finest buildings of all time. Built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the sixth century. As we walk through the immense building we absorb its majestic serenity and we admire the fine Byzantine mosaics. Slowly we walk on to the Egyptian bazaar which is situated right behind the Mosques, since it is Sunday, the Big Turkish Bazaar is closed. The Egyptian Bazaar holds the eastern atmosphere, and it is difficult to walk by all the little stores, and not to stop at every single one of them! On we go! Through the streets of Sultanahmet... Where we see the typical food stands with corn, little boys playing or merchandising in the streets, colourful people and surroundings until we arrive at the quay of the Bosphorus. The scenery is unforgettable, the smell of fish, boats and barbecues, make that you feel your empty stomach, and the noise fills your ears, not unpleasantly. The Bosphorus floats calmly in between the East and the West. Not affected by anything, it just follows its way. Not even disturbed by the big boats passing through it. And then comes the night... The LetsGoDigital team is invited to have dinner at a very special place: the Maiden's Tower, situated on a small island (Princess Island) in the middle of the Bosphorus spot on the crossingpoint between East and West. A small boat takes us there. And here we hear one of the innumerable tales about the Maiden's Tower: it is the sad story of Hero and Leandros. Hero is a virgin nun of Aphrodite, who promised not to fall in love with anyone. She lives in the tower in seclusion. One day she leaves the tower to attend a festival where she meets Leandros. They fall in love and their bond is one of eternal and true love. Leandros starts visiting Hero every night by swimming towards the light of the tower lit by Hero. They keep on seeing eachother secretly until one tragic night when a storm turns off the light and Leandros drowns in the Bosphorus. Finding out that Leandros died, Hero throws herself from the tower to be reunited with her true love. The real history is different of course, but being in Istanbul and its mysterious atmosphere, we prefere the tale! And then there always comes a time to say goodbye, but not farewell. Turkish Airlines will take the LetsGoDigital team back to Holland again. We attended the CeBIT Bilisim Eurasia, we saw a beautiful part of Istanbul and we met very friendly people, in short : it was a fruitful visit! A last glance from the plane and our journey is over…. BUT the LetsGoDigital team will be back next year!