My girlfriend and I wanted to go somewhere different this year outside of our normal travels.  We also wanted to escape the cold December weather, which led us to visiting this wonderful city.

Istanbul is the only city in the world which lies across two continents, with its old city in Europe and modern Istanbul situated in Asia. The two areas are separated by the Bosphorus Strait and is Europe's most populous city. The historic areas of Istanbul were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

Photos:

1- Hagia Sophia

2- Interior of the Blue Mosque

3- Galata Bridge

4- Yerebatan Saray (Bascilica Cistern) 532 A.D.

5- Topkapi Palace Gate

6- Turkish woman sewing a rug

7- Turkish Carpet Salesman

8- Taksim Tram

9- Pope John Monument

10- Graves along the Bosphorus