A cat may look at a king

[osprey_archer]

More photos from my Epic Travels. This may continue till Christmastime.

This one is from the Hagia Sophia, which first was a great cathedral (commissioned in the sixth century by the dread emperor Justinian), became a mosque after the fall of Constantinople, and at last became a museum after Ataturk's rise to power. (Here's a tip: if you ever wonder why something is as it is in Turkey, Ataturk is always a good answer.)



The cat, unimpressed by all this history, is having a nap at the foot of the minbar, far below the golden Byzantine mosaics.

And another, from the cistern beneath the city.



This would be the best set for a chase scene ever. The water splashing as our hero wades through - fish brushing against his legs (or water snakes, maybe; no, don't think about it) - is someone following him, or is that only an echo he hears? He's just carried out a daring heist from the Topkapi Palace, not so very far away, and who knows what will happen if he's caught...

Comments

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

(http://www.tilazone.com/clipart/glitter.asp)

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

:D

[entwashian.livejournal.com]

KITTY!

Okay, so how is it pronounced, REALLY? Ay-yuh Sofia?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It is! I remember learning that in an art history class. (We were talking about architecture.)

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Yes! I didn't know this until I got to Turkey and I spent half the morning thinking we were going to the "Eye of Sophia." Like, the eye of Sauron's beneficent little sister? I don't even know.

[entwashian.livejournal.com]

Lol, ok. There was a big debate over this in my family -- my uncle has visited it & insists it must be pronounced a certain (incorrect) way, & my dad... frankly, cannot pronounce anything correctly, & I'd read it was pronounced this way, but neither believed me.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

That really would be an awesome place for a chase. What a wonderful photo.

[exuberantself.livejournal.com]

I was just thinking that!

Actually, I was thinking, "Why aren't more horror/adventure movies set in Turkey?" but I think the sentiments coincide.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

They do coincide, for sure!

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Filmmakers haven't exhausted the crypts in Italy, clearly.

But seriously! Ottoman action/adventure! Someone needs to get on this.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

The only problem for the case scene is the lighting, because clearly an Ottoman cistern isn't going to be lit by electricity. Possibly there will be terrifying cultists with torches.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Unless it's Steampunk!Ottoman empire, and they have found a way to electrify it.

But terrifying cultists with torches sounds maybe better.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Oh, oh! Steampunk cultists with gas-powered torches that double as flamethrowers!

Or, if the cultists are crazy-but-nice, they've somehow discovered a way to harness St. Elmo's fire to their torches. So the light is flickering and blue and totally creepy.