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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I've travelled there several times. I always found Istanbul bit of a sad city for various reasons. When you realize it was capital of the Byzantine empire that lasted a thousand years and virtually the entire historic and heritage legacy of the Byzantines is gone outside a few churches, [b]to be replaced by an invading new culture and people[/b], it does leave you with a bit of a profound feeling. And even modern Istanbul is a blend of the very decaying and new.

That aside, the sights in Istanbul can be wonderful to see. And it's atmospheric. There are definitely run down areas and areas I wouldn't venture alone if only because we did have kids thinking it was funny to throw rocks at us when we decided to walk back to Sultanahmet from an old Byzantine church by the city walls. Food is like anywhere else, do your research beforehand. Most of everyday restaurants will be oily but the good ones are very good. Istanbul Eats is a good blog to check for food recommendations if it's still around. Grand Bazaar is fun to walk through but is also very touristy and I'd be leery of buying anything from there. Do a tour up the Bosphorus. We also enjoyed Cappadocia and Ephesus and the Turkish coast.[/quote]

You must be Greek.   :roll: [/quote]

The Turks brought their history, culture, and faith, which is very rich and gives us splendid mosques and cultural heritages to see as a modern tourist. But there's no denying the complex history of invaders and conquerers and occupied people over the centuries that is the history of Anatolia, especially western Anatolia. The Turks do not have a pleasant history with, say, the Greeks they conquered, and especially not the Armenians, who they tried to genocide. But that shouldn't derail the thread. Istanbul is a rewarding city to visit. [/quote]
By your logic, the US is a very, very sad place. The invasion by Europeans, the genocide of the Native Americans, the stealing of their land and the replacement of their culture with European culture. What a very sad and unpleasant history! [/quote]

My 16 year old daughter says that though Europeans were indeed invaders, their invasion can be justified because they ultimately made America a better place than it was prior to their arrival. Can the same thing be said of the Turks?[/quote]

That’s the logic of a conqueror. Pretty sure many would disagree with your daughter.[/quote]

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