1

~ Presentation ~

I was born to Istanboul (or Constantinople)

This magnificent and charming city was already described by big writers, so that I feel very audacious to want to depict her(it) in my tour. But these illustrious writers made(did) it only brief stays, while I crossed(spent) all my childhood and all my adolescence there.

I was so able to satisfy my soul and my eyes of all the sites and prestigious and magnificent landscapes of a city which can be compared by no means with the western cities. I shall say the reasons about it afterward.

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~ Istamboul's name ~

I want, before going farther, to explaining to you where from comes Istanboul's name. This explanation has nothing learned or of history. I collected(took in) her(it) by listening to the common people who passed on her(it) "by word of mouth"

Constantinople was, if my recollections are exact, conquered in 1453 by Mahomet the conqueror: sultan of osmanlis Turkish (ottomans)

Before falling to the hands of Turkish, she was called Byzantine Empire. Byzantine Empire was really only a part(party) of the city, and it was surrounded with numerous villages situated throughout Bosphorus, throughout the Golden horn, and throughout the Sea of Marmara. The Greek inhabitants of these villages often went away in Byzantine Empire for their business(cases) or their purchases. For them, Byzantine Empire was " the City " par excellence, and they indicated(appointed) her(it) of the "polite" Greek word When they went(surrendered) to it, they said: " we go in city ": " polite Is tine " The Turks, who didn't know Greek, imagined that "Istinboli" was the name of the city. They adopted this name in the warping, and Byzantine Empire became: "Istanboul" This hypothesis that's proposed by the Greeks. But for the Turks, Istamboul is the city filled(performed) with Islam: " Islam bowl ", where from Istamboul. Personally, I'd tilt in favour of the first hypothesis.