Started the day with a breakfast with a view. Our hotel was close enough to both the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, offering a great photo ops!

I had been in Istanbul a decade back, so used the first half to catch up on work, before heading out to revisit local sites and the Grand Bazaar. Hagia Sophia, a symbol of cultural blending and adaptation, still took my breath away. This architectural masterpiece, originally built as a Byzantine cathedral in the 6th century, underwent significant transformations throughout history, both structural as well as symbolic in nature as it shifted religious contexts.

After the Ottomans conquered Constantinople (the old name of Istanbul) in 1453, it was converted into an imperial mosque. The Ottomans added minarets and Islamic architectural elements while preserving the existing Byzantine structure and stunning mosaics.

This unique combination of Byzantine and Ottoman influences within the same building seems in line with the general East meets West diversity and inclusion that Istanbul showed.

There were some posters of re-elected President Erdoğan around the place too. His “Barrier-Free Vision 2030” plan is a roadmap for improving the lives of people with disabilities in Turkey. This plan aims to enhance accessibility, employment, and education opportunities, highlighting the government’s commitment for building an inclusive society.