A final day together

Saturday, November 29, 2008
Istanbul, Turkey

This yellow building just looked so random.

Well today was the last day the nine of us (well eleven really) would spend together as a group. The tour officially ends tomorrow after breakfast but we did have one more day to see some sites. Ed and Liezel decided to spend the day on their own and then join us for dinner but the rest of us headed off with Ergun to see some stuff. Ekrem left this morning so we have already said good-bye to one of us.

The ceiling of the Kaiser Wilhelm's Fountain. It was presented to Sultan Abdul Hamit II by the German emperor in 1901 during a state visit as a token of friendship.

Anyway, we can get emotional later. We headed out to see a few of the sites. We stopped by the Hippodrome which was the centre of Byzantium’s life for about 1200 years and of Ottoman life for another 400 or so years. Countless political dramas took place here (and since it has been established that I am a political junky it totally interested me).

The 4th century Rough-Stone Obelisk can also be seen in the hippodrome. Not much is known about it but I did learn that it was clad with sheets of gilded bronze by Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. The plates we ripped off during the Fourth Crusade but you can see the bolts holes where they would have been attached.

The chariot races of the Byzantine times also took place here. Teams were either blue or green depending on which political party they belonged to.

I was interested to see the Spiral column. It was once part of a golden basin supported by three entwined serpents. Of course serpents (and they should be) are the symbol of all things evil but more interesting was the fact that until around 330 AD when Constantine the Great had it moved to his new capital, the column stood in front of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi Greece. Of course I had seen that exact temple a few short weeks ago so it just tied a few things together for me.
We also stopped by The Million Stone which is left from the Byzantine Triumph Arch. It was used to mark distance to all corners of the empire.

This is the Obelisk of Theodosius (and you can see the Rough-Stone Obelisk in the background). This is the oldest monument in Istanbul. It was carved in Egypt during the reign of Thutmose III and erected in the Amon-Re temple at Karnak (which I also saw). It was brought to Constantinople (Istanbul) by Theodosius in 390 AD.

The original obelisk was cut down for transit and then placed on this ceremonial marble base.

We then headed back to the Blue Mosque….well it was back for me as I had already been there once but it was certainly worth a second look. I was still in awe the second time around.

There is a chance I am repeating myself here but the mosque contains about 27,000 square stone tiles all blue in colour. Blue symbolizes the gods and the sky. We figure it would hold about 1,000 people, side by side when completely full, most likely on a Friday which is the most important day for prayer. The dome has a diameter of 23 meters (75 feet) and is 43 metres (141 feet) high. There are 4 very large columns that support the weight of the mosque. I didn't take many pictures inside the mosque this time around. I guess I figured I had taken enough last time I was here.

Me, Eva, Reshmi and Monica with the mosque.......

..........and Me, Paul, Eva, Reshmi, Monica and Winston with the mosque.

After that we headed to the Underground Cistern. It was known in Byzantium as the Basilica Cistern because it laid underneath the Stoa Basilica. I had kind of read a bit about this but bypassed it during my previous visit but what a neat place. It was actually kind of eerie. There was water dripping from the ceiling and fish swimming in the water and well, it was dark and dreary and some music playing in the background but neat. In the past this would have been a source of water for people in Istanbul although for a while it had been forgotten about and was actually used for dumping of waste including corpses.

It really did look this creepy.....not just a camera trick.

It has been restored 3 times. People would collect water and catch fish by dipping buckets down to collect it. The fish were a good way to check if the water was poisoned. Dead fish meant bad water.

This is one of 2 columns with medusa heads that support the one corner of the cistern. This one is obviously up-side down and the other one is tilted to one side. Not much is known about them but it is believed that they were brought here from an antique building from the late Roman period. Why the heads were placed the way they were is also unknown.

And then it was off to lunch. Ergun had a place picked out for us but someone decided they wanted pida instead (I am not going to point fingers……Paul) so we walked around in the rain a bit more until we found a different place. It was good though so Paul does not get in too much trouble for that.

After that it was time to shop. We headed back to the Grand Bazaar (once again that means back for me not for everyone). It was much busier this time around than last time I was there but this time I did buy a few things…no you can’t know what they are….they might be for you.. We kind of moved through as a group but kept losing Eva as she was buying stuff go everyone apparently but we all left together and that is what counted.

Paul, Winston and Ergun looking pimp......or something like that.

Sam.......looking like Sam.

From there we headed for tea, and coffee and hot chocolate and all that stuff. We headed to a place that was like Starbucks but wasn’t Starbucks for a bit. While enjoying a quiet conversation a small wager developed. I had to eat some chocolate covered coffee beans (which were gross.......I totally hate coffee and putting chocolate on it does not help) and Paul had to eat some of the sludge from his Turkish coffee (which I am sure was much grosser so I think I won). Anyway, Turkish coffee just so you know is kind of like espresso but what ends up at the bottom of the glass is kind of like tar. In the past it took hours to brew Turkish coffee so if you made some for a friend they would be very thankful. The saying (and I paraphrase) a cup of coffee is equal to 40 years of friendship, evolved from it. You won’t hear many people say it much anymore…unless they are trying to sell you a carpet.

Anyway, a bunch of us then took a nap (because that is what we do....even after a handfull of coffee beans) and then we headed out to dinner. We took the tram and then a Funicular up to Takism Square. We were on a very busy street that kind of reminds me of Whyte Ave in Edmonton or 17th Ave in Calgary (I guess Toronto’s Yonge Street would fit in there too). Not much vehicle traffic but we did have to dodge the occasional tram.

Looking down the busy street.

Lots of stores and restaurants and bars and people. It was a fun little atmosphere. We had a great time…..our last meal together. We then stopped to buy some Turkish delight. Sorry no one is getting any. I have too much time on this trip left and it has to travel too far so you will have to go to Turkey on your own to find some…..or buy it where ever you are, but it just isn’t the same.

I'm not kidding.....this is totally a shoe store.

Once back at the hotel we made our way down to the English pub on the corner of the street. Our hotel does not have an liquor license so they don’t have a bar but we had noticed the English Pub when we first arrived and thought that would be a great place to spend a few more hours together. Now the drinks were not quite as strong as the ones in Selcuk, but they were good just the same.

Back at the hotel it was getting to be time to say goodbye to the first group. Eva and Winston both had very early flights, so Paul and I stayed up until their ride came to get them…..at 0300. We may have shared some wine while we waited and even though the hotel would have rather we not, it is amazing how a smile can make 4 wine glasses appear.

Anyway, most of the group will head out tomorrow (or more correctly today) except a few of us who have decided to stay an extra night. Most will be staying in our hotel here in Istanbul but I will be heading back out to the Polat Renaissance. I need a few more stars (and guaranteed hot water) before I head to the Czech Republic. It has been a great 15 days. I am very glad I was able to share Turkey with a great group of people. I will certainly miss them..…but now I have people in Montreal, London, Vancouver, Melbourne and Seattle/California to visit. I hope everyone has a spare couch.

Julie