I spend all day at work convincing tourists to go see tourist sites and museums etc. I tell everyone how amazing all these spots are and that they should not be missed even though I have never set foot in a single one. I finally got a chance to see the wonderful things I sell all day. The Hagia Sophia is truly amazing (and I’m not just saying it this time). Originally it was built as a Christian Church during the time of Constantinople and after it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire it was converted into a mosque. Once it was converted to a mosque, all Christian mosaics were painted over. Now the Hagia Sophia is a museum and they’ve started to uncover some of the original Christian artwork. It’s a pretty impressive place, and if you’re even in Istanbul go check it out (and I mean it this time because I won’t even get commission off of you now).

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Inside a mosque near the Istanbul Spice market as the sun sets and the call to prayer starts.

One thing I really enjoy about Istanbul is the vivid colors, both man made and natural, visible  throughout the city at night. While Seoul was usually awash with neon colors on every street, here in Istanbul the lights vary from harsh neon, to warm and inviting, and back again. Here’s a few of my favorite pictures taken after dark:

A distant mosque at sunset.

A mosque on Barbaros Blvd. as seen from our balcony.

Lanterns for sale in a tea shop in Sultanahmet.

Süleymaniye Mosque at Night