Part 1

Arriving in Istanbul.

This is at the Hippodrome, close to the Blue Mosque.  This is the Obelisk of Theodosius, carved in Egypt around 1500 AD.  It's amazing what good shape the carvings are in--I guess that's what happens when you carve something from granite.  Evidently the obelisk was at one time three times as tall as it is now!