Istanbul

Arrived Istanbul (Byzantium, Constantinople) at 17:15 on Thursday October 16th. Staying at Intercontinental Hotel. An overcast evening around 20C. Walked out in the evening to nearby Taksim Square with the prominent mosque. Carried on walking down the busy pedestrian Istiklal Street with the shops, restaurants, historic buildings. Out walking again next morning across Taksim Square and down Istiklal street. Visited the Saint Antoine de Padoue catholic church built in 1912 and raised to Basilica status in 1932. The famous red Caddesi tram runs on Istiklal street, first started in 1914. It was taken out of service in 1961 then restored in 1990. The Taksim mosque which dominates the square was completed in 2021. Feral cats are a big part of the Istanbul scenery and saw several in Gezi Park.