June 2-3: Istanbul, Turkey

Well, after a lazy long weekend in Woking, I am back in action flying to Istanbul, Turkey for just about 28 hours. I met my high school friend, Adrian, there who had flown out from London on the 1st.

I arrived at 1:45 PM in Istanbul, skipped bag claim because I carried on, went through customs (had to purchase a Visa for either GBP 13 or US $20. Yeah, the exchange rate doesn't check out. Grrrr. Oh well. After passing through, I did my usual arrival routine: find a bathroom, find a cash machine, buy a water to break a large bill into smaller change. I took a taxi to the hotel, and circled around with him a LOT in these windy cobblestoned streets in the heart of Sultanahmet on the Golden Horn of Istanbul. Finally found the lovely Sultan's Inn and met Adrian in the lobby.

Our first stop was the famous Blue Mosque, just about a 5 minute walk from our hotel, and named as such because of the blue tiles adorning the interior. We took our shoes off and walked into the very elaborately decorated interior on the soft carpet in the 'tourist' section. There was a gate separating us from those who came for religious purposes. The ornate interior really separated this attraction from the other major churches and cathedrals around Europe, which tend to have bland stone interiors (with the exception of St. Chapelle in Paris).

Next we walked to the Topkapi Palace, the heart of the Ottoman Empire, where the royal families lived and administration took place. The buildings were all set apartment from each other amidst beautiful green grounds shaded by many trees in the compound. We saw European-style portraits of former emperors and family jewels and other fine relics. Adrian and I commented on the use of fancy feathers as a mark of status in the crowns that you don't see adorning the crowns of European royals.

We stopped in for a quick drink and bite to eat at one of the very touristy restaurants that had a great rooftop view of the Hagia Sophia in the backdrop. We paid for the view, but it was worth it.

Recharged, we walked up a main street and managed to find the Covered Bazaar, which is a LOT bigger than it looks from the entrance we used. I felt like I was back in the Silk Market in China with rows and rows of vendors all beckoning us inside. At each crossroads, the hallways seemed to extend forever into the distance. Too bad I'm not in the market for a rug, I bet they're a lot better priced in Turkey than imported in the states. But I did find a good Father's Day gift. :) But I still need to brush up on my bartering skills.

By now, it was time to get ready for the evening out on the town. We enjoyed a beer on our hotel's rooftop deck, which is even better than the pictures online. Then changed, and grabbed a cab to Taksim Square in the Beyoğlu district north of the Golden Horn. We strolled down a street with endless strings of lights across the wide pedestrian walkway to find a restaurant. Two appetizers and a large main course later, we left to find another watering hole. There were endless streams of people going in either direction on this large street. I couldn't believe how many people were out, and the volume didn't die down the whole time we were out. Our next stop put us at a table on a little balcony at a bar where we had an excellent bird's-eye view of the street below us, and of the guy grilling corn on the cob directly beneath us. For some reason, that's a big thing in Istanbul: grilled corn on the cob. Yeah, I don't get it either...

The next day, Adrian had to leave for the airport right after breakfast on our gorgeous rooftop terrace, so I spent my last few hours in Istanbul hitting the remaining key sites.

I started with the Hagia Sophia, the greatest cathedral of the Middle Ages. Remarkably, it was completed in 537 AD, with a soaring dome over 55 meters high. It was converted into a mosque in 1462 and so the interior is an interesting blend of Christian and Muslim art. Much of the Christian murals had to be uncovered in preservation work done since the Hagia Sophia opened as a museum in 1935. The murals date back to the 11th and 12th centuries and are some of the most impressive I've ever seen. The stones are tiny in a huge myriad of colors so the images they portray look more like paintings they are so detailed. Unfortunately, my camera flash is stuck on automatic, so my pictures of the interior came out really dark. It would be better to turn the flash off and hold it steady to allow the natural light come through for longer to get a good image. Check out the wikipedia link Mosaics (lower down on the Hagia Sophia page) for some great images.

After a long tour inside the Hagia Sophia including wandering around the upper hall where there were much better views of the mosaics, I answered my grumbling tummy's request and purchased a grilled corn on the cob from a street vendor. I had to try it! It was grilled, salty and delicious.

I only had time to do one more quick tourist attraction, so I took Adrian's recommendation and descended into the ancient Basilica Cistern servicing Istanbul and the Topkapi Palace. It was dark and cool inside, with the incredible 'forest' of columns stretching out in every direction. I walked to the far end to view the Medusa heads, and cursed my dead camera battery. Again, you can check these out on the Wikipedia link provided. These Medusa heads are carved into the base of two columns and are deliberately not placed upright. One head is on its side and the other is completely upside-down. Scientists maintain it was deliberate, but no one has figured out why. Click here to catch up on your Medusa Mythology (it's not wikipedia this time!).

Next it was time to go to the airport and so my jaunt in Istanbul ended. It was a great (though far too short) trip.