Basilica Cistern

Today was intended to be an easy day with a visit to the Basilica Cistern and the Agia Sofia. The morning started off well as the Basilica Cistern was nice and cool and not too crowded and I have chosen this as my blip. The cistern was built by Emperor Justinian in the Byzantine period 532AD and stood under the Stoa Basilica, which was a central square and was intended to store water for the Byzantine Palace. after the Ottoman Conquest it was used to irrigate the gardens of the Topkaki Palace. It was decommissioned in the nineteenth century and now acts a giant goldfish bowl for carp and a tourist cooling off point.

We then went for an tea in a cafe we discovered the other day in the Artisan Bazaar near the Blue Mosque. Leaving for the Agia Sofia about lunch time meant we missed the worst of the queues and got in after about 30 minute's wait. It was pleasant to find that despite the hordes going in the Agia Sofia is enormous enough to swallow the crowds so you can saunter round at your own pace with plenty of elbow room. It was a shame that there was a massive scaffolding on one side of the building where they are doing some restoration work. I always feel when you visit public monuments which are partly hidden due to building works they ought to offer you a discount but I guess that's the very time when they need maximum income. Light levels were pretty atrocious and I eventually got put my monopod when I saw some one else was using one. I was constantly either radically under-exposing or racking up the ISO.

After a sandwich we visited the Sultanate Tombs which were rather splendid with lovely tiled work though the tombs themselves were very plain.

As it was still early afternoon we thought we we try and squeeze another visit in and set off for the Little Agia Sofia which was down almost at sea level down some little roads. After one of Stuart's regular holiday diversions we eventually reached there courtesy of the help of some local children. It is a lovely building which has kept its original dimensions despite being turned in to a mosque. However, by that time tempers were frayed and the long uphill walk back to the hotel was accomplished in silence. Having had a shower I now feel ready for the evening's foray. Tomorrow we leave for the coast so you will have had you fill of tourist venues.