Just Some Thoughts

Now that court is done in Russia, we’ve escaped to Istanbul for a few days. There’s little for us to do in Russia until the Judge’s ruling becomes effective. We can’t get our child yet (because the Judge’s ruling hasn’t taken effect).  Besides, the highs have been in the low double digits in Ekat this past week and we desperately need to thaw out.

Here are a few pictures of Topkapi Palace from earlier today:

Caligraphy at the gates of the inner palace

Views of the outside of the Throne Room pavilion

Inside the Throne Room pavilion

Inside the innermost court of the palace where only the Sultan could go

A beautiful fountain in the innermost court

Some of the most impressive sights were forbidden to photograph. There are several rooms with holy relics such as swords of the Caliphs, golden rainspouts from the Kabbah in Mecca, the Mantel of the Prophet Mohammed, jewelry that makes your eyes pop and so on.  May of the items from Mecca were brought to Istanbul when they “wore out” and were replaced; such holy things were not discarded, rather they were placed into storage and are now on display some 400 to 1300 years later.

ckagy On the road