When we got to the second floor we took this opportunity to sit down and watch a 10 minute movie about the golden age of invention and exploration. That was everywhere outside western Europe where it is called the dark ages. Astrolabes, surgical instruments, globe spanning voyages, rockets, gliders, water pumps, innovative clocks, a portable universal sundial, kerosene and so much more.
A flying man 1000 years before the Wright Brothers
The Elephant Clock was a water powered clock with mechanical gears on the inside with balls and gears
It was huge and a marvelous thing
A phoenix on the top
The cast of the various interactive kiosks that were interspersed throughout the second floor
So many forks and so many achievements
This was Al-Biruni who calculated the radius of the earth to be 6340 km. He was correct to within 16.8 km. That was only one quarter of 1% off of the agreed upon number. But he made this measurement in 1000 CE
A rocket powered chair that took Lagari Celebi up into the air in 1633. He unfolded some glider wings and returned tot he ground in front of the palace
Light the rockets!
The book of Animals was the first of its kind to be written in Arabic
His lovely assistant is cloaked in gold
She has more information that will need to be added to the next edition
Advances in Chemistry
A water pump that translated rotational motion into linear motion and each piston had double action both pulling in water into the system and then pushing it out up with enough pressure up to heights of 12 feet. Thanks to seals and one way valves invented by Al-Jazari
Some more highly decorative statuary in the foyer
We headed back int he cold to the Hotel
Some graffiti but not too much
Great building
The Grand Hyatt is no slouch
A large lobby
A great view
