Disco Rules

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These tart little green apricots were everywhere in Turkey

Up in the Clouds

These ones were taken from up in the clouds!

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Hot-air ballooning in Cappadocia

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The Bulgari hotel, in Milan.

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This was my favourite room in the Topkapi palace - part of the Queen Mother's apartment, decorated in the rococo style with mother-of-pearl inlay in the doors.

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I ate so much Turkish Delight, and drank so much apple tea, I can't even think about the amount of sugar I consumed in a week.... Delicious deliciousness.

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Doorway, Milan

Turkish Tiles at the Topkapi Palace

The Gate of Felicity

I was quite chuffed to discover that the entrance to the Inner Court at the Topkapi Palace (the residence of the Ottoman Sultans from 1465 to 1856) is known as the Gate of Felicity. It was probably constructed in the 15th century under Mehmed II, and was redecorated in the rococo style in 1774 under Sultan Mustafa III. Qur'anic verses are inscribed above the entrance.

I didn't know it was called the Gate of Felicity until I got back to London and looked it up, but I took quite a few pictures of it because I thought it was beautiful, and because I was surprised by the style of it; it seemed quite French / European.

Inside the Blue Mosque

Here are some pictures of Istanbul's most spectacular mosque, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles inside.

It was built between 1606 and 1611, with a combination of Byzantine and traditional Islamic elements. The inside is lined with more than 20,000 hand-made ceramic tiles, using traditional designs at the lower levels, and at gallery level using more flamboyant designs of flowers, fruit and cypresses.

There are low chandeliers which hang all the way from the ceiling, giving quite an intimate feel despite the huge space.

Lake Como

We took a private speedboat tour around Lake Como. The last picture is Richard Branson's villa (only accessible by water), and the 3rd, 4th and 5th pictures are of Villa del Balbianello, the villa featured in Casino Royale. It used to be privately owned, but was bequeathed to the National Trust of Italy in the late 80s.

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(hfgl)

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by David Hamilton

(source)

Bellagio

This is the town of Bellagio, on Lake Como. It was even more beautiful than it looks in these pictures: it was overcast in the morning, but when the sun came out it really sparkled.