Sandton, a suburb of Johannesburg, is quite well to do yet we were warned not to venture out alone or display any form of wealth. So, we stayed in or near the hotel during our entire stay. The city showed a vast separation of haves and have nots and reports say unemployment is as high as 30% in spite of the over staffing evidence in every shop and restaurant.

Dinner at Bull Run on Sunday night before our partner meeting on Monday with the MEA Storage A-team.

http://www.thebullrun.co.za/

Wrap after day one was a success

We had dinner on Monday night at Mandela Square. I had to have my pic taken next to the 20 foot bronze sculpture.

Yeah - selfie with Mandela

Looking at Istanbul from my room in the Conrad Hilton. I had one of the most amazing view of the city from my room at the Conrad. I shot this from my room Wednesday morning before the rain hit.

From the 14th floor lounge, we could see an amazing view of the Bosphorus Straights. I shot this view Thursday morning as I prepared to depart for our partner meeting. WOW!

Constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I

Just outside the Mosque entrance

Much of the interior appeared to be under some form of reformation/construction.

Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople. Constantinople fell to the attacking Ottoman forces on the 29th of May in 1453 and became a mosque. In 1935, the first Turkish President and founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, transformed the building into a museum.

Had to take a selfie in this famous museum

OK. I was probably in their social media posts so I figured I owed them to return the favor. This Japanese tour was marveling over the Deësis mosaic.

The Deësis mosaic -Virgin Mary and John the Baptist are imploring the intercession of Christ Pantocrator for humanity on Judgment Day.
Hagia Sophia

Comnenus mosaic - The Virgin Mary is standing in the middle, depicted in Byzantine art dark blue gown holding Christ in her lap. On her right side stands emperor John II Comnenus and Empress Irene stands on the left side.
Hagia Sophia

Southwestern entrance mosaic - Virgin Mary, Christ Child. On her left is Emperor Constantine. On her right side stands emperor Justinian I.
Hagia Sophia

Randy Fleener, Deon George, Kurt Bilderback, Rob Coventry, Todd Walls, & Avery Bengston

Theodosius Obelisk 390 AD found in the Hippodrome of Constantinople

Walled Obelisk found in the Hippodrome of Constantinople

Looking back at the Bosphorus Bridge from the Asian side of the straights.

Looking back at the Bosphorus Bridge from Asia

At Rigel Restaurant, our fish is prepared in front of us. The fish has already been baked in a salt cake. They fire it up for show then crack open the cake with ice picks and serve the fish to us all. I must say, this was one of the best fish I've ever had.

Rigel - You can see the Bosphorus Bridge in the background. What an amazing sight!

Up on the 14th floor lounge Wednesday night, you can see an amazing view of the Bosphorus Straights separating Europe from Asia and imagine why this city was such a strategic value for so long.

On the 14th floor Wednesday night, I could not believe what an amazing view of the Bosphorus bridge we had from our lounge.

Thursday night after dinner we had to catch one more view of the Bosphorus Bridge.

For anyone going to Istanbul, I highly recommend the Conrad Hilton. The breakfast is phenomenal and the 14th floor lounge has live entertainment on Wednesday nights.