The intrepid Travelling Gourmet is awestruck by one of the world’s wonders…the Topkapi Palace…
MAGNIFICENT and very huge is the famous Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. Many different palace buildings are set in a big park. I just went to see Topkapi Palace, and the Imperial Armory was fascinating with armour, scimitar swords, flintlock pistols, matchlock rifles and even Japanese Samurai Katana (swords). The most amazing and impressive exhibit is the glittering Spoonmaker’s Diamond weighing in at 86 carats and the size of a child’s palm! This priceless diamond is the 3rd largest in the world! Lots of rare emeralds and rubies and gold jewellery on show too. As for the Imperial Harem I was flabbergasted to learn that there were 1,371 ladies there! The Ottoman Sultans lived here from the 15th to the 19th Century in unimaginable opulence and luxury. The Topkapi Palace has a circumference of 6km! Incredible but true!
I also went to tour the Rusten Pasha Mosque completed in 1536 with its beautiful Iznik tile decorations on the walls. Mehmet the humourous tour guide was very entertaining with his anecdotes about the Sultans of old. He spoke with a quaint British accent which he picked up as a University student in Bristol in UK.
Tonight I shall try the cuisine of the Grand Hyatt Istanbul’s new restaurant called ’34’ which is only 3 weeks old!
By the way the weather here is very hot and sunny at 33 C!
To be continued…
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About thetravellinggourmet
As a renowned Travel, Food & Wine Writer he has travelled the world in a keen & indomitable pursuit of exotic delicacies & fine wines. His articles have been published in over 20 prestigious publications, both local & international. Dr. Lim has toured and trained in Wine Evaluation & Oenology in most of the world's top wine producing areas from France to Australia. The Travelling Gourmet says, "Gastronomy has no frontier. These are the gastronomic voyages of The Travelling Gourmet. My unending mission. To explore strange new cuisines, to seek out new wines and new culinary experiences, to boldly go where no gourmet has gone before...." Have pen, will travel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage & retrieval system, without permission from Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet and/or MSN. Material may be works of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents may be true but may also be products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance whatsoever to actual person or persons, either dead or living, events, or locales may be entirely and purely coincidental and unintentional. No part of this website may be used to villify others or for criminal purposes.
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