Byzantine Dining

I spent the whole day doing an underground tour of Istanbul, led by an archeologist and sponsored by the American Research Institute of Turkey. It was an amazing experience. My favourite site did not produce a good photo, but does provide a fine anecdote. Our leader took us through a travel agency in Sultanamet and into a back room full of folded carpets, undoubtedly done as a favour to a store down the street. From there, we went down a couple of storeys of stairs into an ancient cistern. Then back up, past the carpets, through the travel agency - thank you - and back out into the street. How magical is that?

This photo is of a differenct cistern in the Fathi district that has be reclaimed as a high-end reception hall. People were preparing for a wedding and reception.