Posted in Europe, Turkey

Hagia Sophia

Several years ago I read a book about the Ottoman Empire, one of many that talked about Hagia Sophia. The more I read about it, its history which predates the Ottoman Empire by several centuries, the higher it climb my bucket list.

With just a one day layover in Istanbul starting around 1:00 pm, in which the line to visit Hagia Sophia wasn’t realistic, I made it a point to rise early the next morning to make sure I got to get inside before heading to the airport to come home.

Though the Blue Mosque looks so much more compelling physically, there’s no denying the extraordinary history of Hagia Sophia. Continue reading “Hagia Sophia”

Posted in Africa, Kenya

Kenya Trip Part II: Visiting Family and Friends and All Those Precious Little Ones!

When Kenyans go home for the holidays, it’s common they’ll head upcountry to visit their families. The shags they call it. We call it the boonies. The first part of a trip to Kenya is about visiting and hanging out with family, getting all the sightseeing out the way, the shopping for stuff back in the states and so forth.

The second part of the trip is when everyone catches up with everyone who have all converged on Nairobi after their trips to the shags. Continue reading “Kenya Trip Part II: Visiting Family and Friends and All Those Precious Little Ones!”