A Guest Blog from a Trip to Istanbul and Dubai
Here at my farm, whenever a member of my team returns from vacation, I always encourage them to share their photos. It's always interesting to see various sites from someone else's view.
Not long ago, my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, his wife, and their son Mingmar, returned from a brief trip to Istanbul, the only city in the world that straddles both Europe and Asia. Istanbul is known for its rich history, its impressive mosques, and its busy bazaars. Chhiring and his family also visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. They enjoyed desert adventures, visited iconic landmarks, and experienced the vibrant nightlife. Chhiring says the nine day trip was an excursion that has been on his "bucket list" a long time.
Here are some of Chhiring's photos, enjoy.
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- Chhiring and his family made a short stop in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates and the UAE’s second-most populous city after Dubai. Abu Dhabi is located on an island in the Persian Gulf off the Central West Coast.
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- This is The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. It is the largest mosque in the UAE covering about 30-acres of land. The structure measures 950 feet by 1,380 feet and can hold up to 40,000 worshippers at one time.
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- The mosque includes 82 domes, more than 1,000 columns, gold gilded chandeliers and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet.
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- In Dubai, Mingmar visited with this falcon. The falcon is UAE’s national bird representing strength, heritage, and agility.
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- The entire family went on a desert safari – a guided excursion into the sandy desert away from the city center. One activity is a camel ride. A camel is an even-toed ungulate in the genus Camelus. It can carry about 375 to 600 pounds and is known as a “ship of the desert”.
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- The Dubai Frame is an observatory, museum and monument in Dubai. The building, shaped like a giant picture frame, has a height of 493.4 feet and a width of 313.4 feet.
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- And anyone who visits Dubai must see the tallest building in the world – the Burj Khalifa designed by Adrian Smith, whose firm designed One World Trade Center. Here it is at night. The Burj Khalifa is 2,722 feet tall.
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- The Global Village is also in the city of Dubai. It has different pavilions to showcase the culture and traditions of each country around the world.
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- The pavilions are decorated in their native style and filled with lights at night.
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- Here is Chhiring and his family inside the Global Village.
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- Next stop, Turkey. This is the Galata Tower, a medieval stone tower in Istanbul. Originally built as a watchtower, it is now an exhibition space and museum offering breathtaking views of Istanbul. It is considered one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
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- Not far is The Ayasofia Mosque, officially known as the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. It was originally a church and later converted into a mosque following the conquest of Istanbul by Mehmed II in 1453. The structure is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture.
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- Tourists are not allowed on the ground floor, which is strictly for worshippers.
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- The yellow walls of the mosque are made from yellow marble sourced from North Africa.
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- Across the street is the Blue Mosque, officially the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, an Ottoman-era historical structure. It was constructed between 1609 and 1617 and remains a functioning mosque today.
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- The exterior walls are light grey. The name “Blue Mosque” comes from the blue tiles used inside, which are predominantly blue but also feature shades of red, green, and white. The mosque has a central dome surrounded by four semi-domes over the prayer hall. It also has a large courtyard flanked by six minarets.
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- Chhiring and his family visited the busy bazaars of the Istanbul Market. One can find almost anything here including lots of candies.
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- This booth specializes in dates and nuts etc.
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- Turkey’s water transportation is very popular, especially in cities like Istanbul, where ferries are a common mode of travel.
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- Locals also enjoy fishing off the Galata Bridge. The Galata Bridge is a 1607 foot long drawbridge located in the Golden Horn estuary, which unites the old Istanbul with the newer areas. Traveling is a great way to learn about a new city or country and its culture. As I always say, “learn something new every day.” Thanks for sharing your photos, Chhiring.
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