To celebrate our twentieth wedding anniversary, my wife Jan and I wanted to travel somewhere exotic and far away. We settled on Istanbul, Turkey, and booked our trip immediately. Despite our impulsive decision, the choice proved to be an excellent one. Of all the places that I have traveled, no destination has delivered an experience like Istanbul. Our week in the city was everything you hope for in travel.

Istanbul has been known by many names, the most famous being Byzantium, the center of the Byzantine empire, and Constantinople, the center of Christendom until the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453. The layers of history and intrigue seem tangible to the senses as you arrive in Istanbul. The Islamic call to prayer is heard five times each day, broadcast from the minarets of the innumerable mosques in the city. The call serves as a repeated reminder of the exotic locale.

During one of our evening meals, I recorded the final call to prayer of the night. At the time, we were near two of the most famous structures in Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. What you will hear in the recording is an alternating call to prayer, originating from each of the two mosques.

Click the play button to hear the recording.

Call to prayer, duelling muezzins, Istanbul, July 2012

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