I'll figure that out tomorrow

Friday, November 14, 2008
Istanbul, Turkey

Looking out at Marmara Denizi (Marmara Sea). That is the Asian side of Istanbul you can see.

Well today I woke up with some plans to visit a few things in the city but I first came to the realization that I had not figured out how to get to Ankara tomorrow and still had no place to stay once I got there. I am a little tired of figuring all that stuff out and am really looking forward to being on a tour for a couple weeks where that stuff is done for me. I guess I will figure it out tomorrow.

What would a picture of water be without a picture of some boats. Once again this is the Marmara Sea and I am standing on the European side of Istanbul looking at the Asian side. Those are government buildings in the background but I am not sure what.

Anyway, I headed for the good old 81 bus but instead of getting off at the city centre the plan was to get off closer to the Blue Mosque so all I had to do was walk up the hill. Of course I got off one stop too late and had to walk a little ways back but no worries. Once again I passed by many men fishing along the shore. At this section though there is even a man who moves from fisherman to fisherman selling coffee and snacks and that kind of thing.

I wandered my way up the hill and decided to visit Aya Sofya first since it is considered by many to be Istanbul’s most famous monument.

One of the mosaics you will find on the second floor of Aya Sofya. Known as the Empress Zoe mosaic is it dated from the 11th century.

This church was completed in 537 AD by Emperor Justinian and was considered the greatest church of the Roman Empire. That was until the conquest by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453 when he had in converted to a Mosque.

The ceiling above the marble door (you can just see the top of it). The marble door was use by the particpants in synods (church council).

It remained an active Mosque until around 1935 when Ataturk turned it into a museum. There has been a lot of restoration work done, much of which continues to this day. I have been told that we may never see it without the scaffolding that decorates the centre of the Mosque.

Some of the dome. Still a lot of work to be done.

One of the highlights is the Weeping Column which is said to be that of St. Gregory the Miracle Worker. The story goes that you put your thumb in the small hole and rotate your palm in a full circle around it and if your thumb comes out moist your wish will come true.

Did I test it out? No. I have decided not to leave my wishes to some hole in a wall.

The stain glass windows above the Mihrab. The Mihrab indicates the direction of Mecca.

My next planned stopped was the Blue Mosque, however my timing was poor and it was noon prayer. Of course it is also Friday which is a very holy day to Muslims so the Mosque was very full. So instead I sat down in the park and waited for noon prayer to end. While waiting I met many a Turkish man, each one wanting to sell me carpets or tours or jewellery or a shoe shine. I politely turned them all down and they quietly went away (although I apparently broke the heart of the shoe shine guy….I almost felt bad). Eventually 1300 (1pm) rolled around and as the hundreds of men and women who were inside praying made their way out, I slowly made my way to the visitors entrance. I was approached once more by a Turkish man who had all kinds of things to tell me about Istanbul and would have liked to of shared more info with me over a cup of tea (here they say a cup of tea shared is equal to 40 years friendship). He was simply going to wait for me outside the Mosque after I took a look. Apparently I took too long and he got tired of waiting as he was not there when I got out (good thing too….I was not letting him buy me tea).

Me in front of the Blue Mosque.

Anyway, The Blue Mosque (also known as Sultanahmet) was built by Sultan Ahmet I to rival and even surpass Aya Sofya in grandeur and beauty. It was constructed between 1606 and 1616 and has the largest courtyard of all the Ottoman Mosques. So once I had removed my shoes and placed them in the plastic bag provided, I entered the mosque. One word…..WOW. This place is huge and spectacular and all those things. Not at all what I expected and certainly not a disappointment.

Inside the Blue Mosque

Looking down on the floor from the second level. A very large area. I am told capacity is about 1000 people during prayer.

Another shot of the ceiling.

Once I gathered myself and left the mosque I headed to a couple museums (I know so unlike me). I visited the Museum of the Ancient Orient followed by the Archaeological Museum. Both places are just full of artefacts from the area and all over. Statues and monuments and tombs and everything you could imagine from the Ottoman Empire, the Roman Empire, Troy and many other places. So neat and time well spent. I was going to visit one other place today but the museum took up all my time.

A few of the statues you will find in the Museum of the Ancient Orient

These glazed bricks, known as Lions in Relief are from the "procession street" in Babylon. It is dated 604 - 562 B.C.

A terra-cotta storage jar from the Hittite Empire Period (around the 13th century BC). It has a capacity of about 2000 litres (around 450 gallons) and would have held supplies for the temple such as grain or legumes. The hieroglyphic inscription describes the contents.

The Sidamara Sarcophagus. Just one of the amazing sarcophagus you will find in the museum. Amazing detail. Each one tells an elaborate story.

This marble statue is the God Apollo playing the Cithara. It is a Roman statue dated the 2nd Century AD.

So it was then back to the hotel via the 81 bus. Of course at the time of day I was travelling the bus was PACKED and I apparently do not have good balance on moving buses so fell into some people a few times but that was no big deal. People here are so nice so no one got bothered.

This is the entrance to Topkapi Palace. I didn't actually get to visit this day but maybe when I am back in a few weeks.

So after a wonderful day experiencing Istanbul at its finest, I am enjoying a relaxing night in my very nice hotel. I am also doing a little research so I will be prepared for my travel day tomorrow.

The sun setting over The Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya.

Julie