David Stanley
@southpacifictravel
male Nanaimo, BC, Canada
David Stanley has authored numerous travel guidebooks for Lonely Planet and Moon Handbooks. He has seen every country in the world and visited all but one.
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, is the world's largest covered market occupying an entire city quarter. 
A vendor delivers cups of tea to merchants on Kalpakçilar Cad in the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey. 
The 57-meter Column of Constantine (330 AD) near the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, originally stood in the Temple of Apollo in Rome. It is also called Cemberlitas (column with rings) for the iron support rings added after a 17th century fire. 
The central dome over the prayer hall of the Blue Mosque (1617) in Istanbul, Turkey, is surrounded by four semi-domes. 
Four massive "elephant's feet" pillars support the weight of the dome above the Blue Mosque (1617) in Istanbul, Turkey. The mosque's 260 windows provide excellent lighting. 
The 17th century Sultan Ahmet Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, is also known as the Blue Mosque for the thousands of blue Iznic tiles which cover much of the interior. 
The 17th century Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Blue Mosque is one of the top sights of Istanbul, Turkey. 
The six minarets of the 17th century Blue Mosque rise above Sultanahmet Park in the old quarter of Istanbul, Turkey. 
In the 16th century two 2nd century BC alabaster urns from Pergamon were brought to Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. 
An 18th century gilded lodge in Hagia Sophia at Istanbul, Turkey, allowed the sultan to safely visit the mosque unseen. 
