Turkey, October 2013

Pergamon

On the Acropolis at Pergamon, the site of the Temple of Athena and the Library of Pergamon (second only to the Library of Alexandria in the ancient world).

Trajan's Temple.

Reconstruction of part of the pediment of Trajan's Temple.

In the crypt of Trajan's Temple.

The amphitheatre at Pergamon.

The Acropolis and amphitheatre seen from the Asclepion medical centre.

The Sacred Way leading to the Pergamon Asclepion.

Colonnade and theatre at the Asclepion.

Troy

Unconvincing attempt at a wooden horse.

Some of the nine separate layers of ruins excavated at Troy.

More excavations. The dark green fields just beyond the hill on which Troy was built are where the shoreline was in classical times. The sea is now about five kilometres further away.

Theatre at Troy.

This blurred photo taken that evening as the ship passed through the Dardanelles shows a memorial to Turkish losses in the Gallipoli campaign.

Istanbul

The Blue Mosque.

Entrance to the Blue Mosque.

Inside the Blue Mosque.

Ayasofya (unfortunately closed on the day we were there).

Another view of Ayasofya.

Gateway to Topkapi Palace.

One of the Topkapi Palace buildings.

Minarets seen from Topkapi Palace.

The Bosphorus and its bridge, from Topkapi Palace.

In the Grand Bazaar.

Another corner of the Grand Bazaar.

In the Yerebatan underground cistern.

Medusa's head at the base of one of the columns in Yerebatan. Nobody seems to know why it is upside down.

Another Medusa's head, sideways on this time.

Night skyline of the Golden Horn, seen from the top deck of Voyager.