Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
When visiting Istanbul, Turkey there is no way around to visit one of the main squares, the Taksim. It was once a main water hub which the name refers to. And if you go there you can use the main shopping street – İstiklal Caddesi. Numerous shops add up from Galata to Taksim. If you start at Galata bridge (Galata Köprüsü) you can simply walk up the hill towards the Galata tower and you can’t miss the main street.
The Galata kulesi (Galata tower) is a beautiful watchtower in Istanbul, Turkey located in the city quarter of Beyoğlu, directly on the hill close to the Galata bridge (Galata Köprüsü). It is named after the place it is built on, a part of Istanbul known for its bars and music venues. From there you’ll have wonderful views on the Golden horn (Haliç), the Bosphorus and the touristic Sultanahmet.
The Kapalı Çarşı in Istanbul, Turkey is better known as the Grand Bazaar – a vast roofed market with many legends surrounding it. You can easily get lost in the long narrow streets with mostly cheap goods. It consists of 61 covered streets with around 3000 shops and it has been built from the year 1455 on in the district of Fatih.
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St. Paul’s and Westminister Abbey are the two most important and well known churches in London, United Kingdom. The current cathedral has been built 300 meters away from river Thames in 1666 – after the great fire of London. It is built in 17th century french art style; a kind of baroque.
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The Tower Bridge in London, United Kingdom is named because of its Location close to the Tower of London. It is 244 meters long and was opened in 1894 in gothic revival style. Between its 65 meter high towers in the middle section it is a flap bridge to allow the passage for higher ships.
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The Tower of London, United Kingdom is a fortification in the center of the city. It contains a castle surrounded by two walls and it has been used over the centuries as a royal safe-harbour, prison, zoo, museum and armoury. It has been built in the 11th century CE for William the Conquerer and is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988.
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Concerning the royal family the most important church in London, United Kingdom is Westminster Abbey, located close to the Houses of Parliament. The kings and monarchs are crowned and buried here. The abbey was built from 1045 on and the current church was begun in the year 1240. The towers have been added by Sir Christopher Wren from the year 1722 on.
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A hugh bell in one of the towers of the Houses of Parliament in London, United Kingdom is called Big Ben – but people tend to use the name for the whole tower. The correct name since the crown jubilee in 2012 is Elizabeth tower. It is now named after Queen Elizabeth – and another tower of the parliament is named after her mother Victoria.
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Le Mont-Saint-Michel is a town with 41 inhabitants and 3.5 million visitors a year close to Pontorson, France. It is the most visited tourist spot outside Paris and consists of a magically placed church on a small island at the Atlantic, surrounded by a small town and walls. In earlier days you could only get there at low tide, nowadays you can walk or take a shuttle bus the whole day. Continue reading “Church, mountain, island”
The Grote Markt is the main market place of Bruges, Belgium and a good starting point for a visit of the town. Directly attached to it you’ll find the Belfort and many old houses. Within this wonderful place there are also shops for Belgian chocolate and you can get the best Belgian fries. Continue reading “Grote Markt”