Turkey: Hagia Sophia & The Streets of Istanbul

Today is moving day! We are moving back to Virginia from South Carolina so the husband can finish his last year of law school.The last day we were in Istanbul, we had an afternoon to go see the Hagia Sophia. We purchased our entrance tickets and hired a local guide to take us through. I would highly recommend hiring a guide to see the Hagia Sophia. The building is so large and there is so much history that you will miss if you wander through on your own.Our guide took us through the main floor of the building and told us all about the history. Hagia Sophia was fought over by Christians and Muslims for hundreds of years. Now it is a combination of both religions and a museum for the ancient art found inside. Our guide took us upstairs to the upper level which looks down into the main part of the building. This chandelier is supposed to be an original. This is my favorite views from window on the top floor. These are the domes of the Hagia Sophia. We had to take this picture a few times because a strange man kept squeezing in next to me and asking me creepy questions!After we finished our tour, we found a cute little hotel just around the corner that had a outdoor restaurant. We grabbed a light snack and rested in the shade. We then wandered through the streets of Istanbul until we found somewhere to eat for dinner. I love wandering through a city I am visiting. I get a better feel for the city and I get to experience things a typical tourist wouldn't. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this recap!