http://www.flickr.com/photos/alisonlyons/tags/hotelsultanhill/ Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:52:09 -0700 Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:52:09 -0700 http://www.flickr.com/ http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8053/buddyicons/8751076@N02.jpg?1351210234#8751076@N02 http://www.flickr.com/photos/alisonlyons/tags/hotelsultanhill/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/alisonlyons/7689107286/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/alisonlyons/">alison lyons photography</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alisonlyons/7689107286/" title="Starry, starry night [in Istanbul, enhanced by cat]"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8291/7689107286_597667b74d_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="Starry, starry night [in Istanbul, enhanced by cat]" /></a></p> <p>This is one of the last photos I took in Istanbul, it was my last night there. I shot this in the street just out side my hotel. That's the hotel on the right. A small boutique establishment called Hotel Sultan Hill... I can recommend it, if you are in the area. The street itself looks quaint and rustic, but it is right in the heart of Istanbul, immediately behind the Blue Mosque.<br /> <br /> If you were to stroll down the hill in the direction of the cat's gaze you would practically run into Ernemet's Carpet Showroom. Its down the bottom of the hill behind an old disused roman bathhouse. You could call in and say Hi to Farouk there, tell him Alison from Australia sent you. There you will see piles of rugs and kilims from Persia and Anatolia and central Asia, a wonderful array of colours and textures. Or you could drop into Kilim Art next door and say hello to Ismet... and see his beautiful boots and handbags. The smell of freshly tanned leather will seduce you.<br /> <br /> If you turn left you'd walk through the Arasta Bazaar, an Aladdin's cave of artisan's shops. Rugs and jewellery, antiques and designer clothes. Here you would stop a while and marvel at the wonderful felt hats in Cocoon. Exotic designs in a riot of colours. You might even meet the softly spoken Seref.<br /> <br /> You'd walk past the entrance to the Mosaic Museum, where the original mosaic floors of the ancient palace lay undisturbed and underground, away from the trample of feet above.<br /> <br /> Politely declining to drink apple tea with the carpet salesmen as you pass by, you'd continue on<br /> past cafes and the aroma of Turkish coffee and the sound of Narghiles bubbling. You might even see a whirling dervish twirling on a small stage amid the diners. If you look closely you'll see he is wearing his joggers under his skirt.<br /> <br /> You would eventually come out on another narrow cobblestone street that winds its way uphill, towards the front of the Blue Mosque and the mighty Aya Sofia.</p> Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:52:09 -0700 2006-10-25T05:10:17-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (alison lyons photography) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/7689107286 Starry, starry night [in Istanbul, enhanced by cat] <p>This is one of the last photos I took in Istanbul, it was my last night there. I shot this in the street just out side my hotel. That's the hotel on the right. A small boutique establishment called Hotel Sultan Hill... I can recommend it, if you are in the area. The street itself looks quaint and rustic, but it is right in the heart of Istanbul, immediately behind the Blue Mosque.<br /> <br /> If you were to stroll down the hill in the direction of the cat's gaze you would practically run into Ernemet's Carpet Showroom. Its down the bottom of the hill behind an old disused roman bathhouse. You could call in and say Hi to Farouk there, tell him Alison from Australia sent you. There you will see piles of rugs and kilims from Persia and Anatolia and central Asia, a wonderful array of colours and textures. Or you could drop into Kilim Art next door and say hello to Ismet... and see his beautiful boots and handbags. The smell of freshly tanned leather will seduce you.<br /> <br /> If you turn left you'd walk through the Arasta Bazaar, an Aladdin's cave of artisan's shops. Rugs and jewellery, antiques and designer clothes. Here you would stop a while and marvel at the wonderful felt hats in Cocoon. Exotic designs in a riot of colours. You might even meet the softly spoken Seref.<br /> <br /> You'd walk past the entrance to the Mosaic Museum, where the original mosaic floors of the ancient palace lay undisturbed and underground, away from the trample of feet above.<br /> <br /> Politely declining to drink apple tea with the carpet salesmen as you pass by, you'd continue on<br /> past cafes and the aroma of Turkish coffee and the sound of Narghiles bubbling. You might even see a whirling dervish twirling on a small stage amid the diners. If you look closely you'll see he is wearing his joggers under his skirt.<br /> <br /> You would eventually come out on another narrow cobblestone street that winds its way uphill, towards the front of the Blue Mosque and the mighty Aya Sofia.</p> alison lyons photography cat turkey istanbul alisonlyons thepixelprincess istanbulnights hotelsultanhill