Thursday was Julie's final full day in Turkey with us, so we were determined to make the most of it.
Four towns/cities in one day. Too much? Too far? After the events we crammed into our first week in Turkey, it seemed manageable.
We started off by taking an early flight from Ankara to Izmir, where we were to stay over night and take Julie to the airport the next morning.
Upon arriving in Izmir, in what I can only describe from my brief experience as typical Turkish tradition, Ece's father arranged for his business associate to pick us up from the airport and take our belongings to the hotel while we rented a car and headed straight for Ephesus to see what was left of the Temple of Artemis. As we walked around this wonder of the ancient world, we could not help but note that we had seen far grander and far more spectacular pieces of history in our 20+ years. Then it occurred to us that it was a 120-year project completed in 550 BC. After several attempts of destruction by different parties for nearly a millennium, the Temple was finally destroyed in 401. After this final destruction, it was rediscovered in 1869 by a British Museum. This may explain how we nearly missed the Temple when we first pulled up to its alleged site. With the exception of a few pillars and piles of rocks to gawk at, it was a large plot of land with large tour groups wandering around wondering how the Temple originally appeared.
Soon we were back into the car and onto additional ruins of Ephesus, primarily the Library that is still in impeccable condition today, considering the destruction that went on a couple miles down the road at the Temple of Artemis. Prior to entering Ephesus, we were warned to hydrate ourselves. Seems as though the region had been plagued by record high temperatures and what better way to experience said heatwave than out in the open air surrounded by dirt, ancient alabaster ruins, and no sign of vegetation for shelter? All the while, it was well worth enduring the high temps. The ruins were quite amazing. And we learned what little we could translate from the Turkish and Greek inscriptions on the walls of the ruins. We learned that ancient civilizations learned from their mistakes and implemented changes immediately to prevent the same mistake happening again-- when a similar civilization burnt to the ground (in Egypt, I think), those living at Ephesus immediately drilled holes into the walls for ventilation and the prevention of similar destruction. And because this region was a primary location for scholars to study in the ancient world, it was quite important to maintain its library.
After nearly dehydrating in Ephesus, we downed a couple liters of water and headed off to the House of the Virgin Mary, where it was believed that she spent her final days. Ece and I relived our high school religion classes in great detail for Julie, explaining all things Father, Son, and Virgin Mary... to her dismay, I'm sure.
It was probably a good thing we visited the churches before our next destination, because I guarantee we needed someone watching over us as we piled into the car and watched Ece behind the wheel drive us to Cesme in approximately two hours at 180 km/hr. Regardless if it's kilometers or miles, trust me, it's uberfast.
So around 4PM, we rolled up to Cesme, a beach town on the Aegean Sea which can be best described as the Turkish Laguna Beach. Ummm yeah. TOTALLY my style?? Beyond the Gucci sunglasses, hair straighteners for rent in the ladies bathroom, and the private roped off sections of the deck for those VIP guests (I assure you the spaces were not being used), it pangs me to admit how easy it was to get comfortable in this setting. I mean it's a deck of cushions and hammocks overlooking the Aegean! Do you blame me?
To any event, I imagine the folks at the front gate were thrilled when they saw American tourists cruise up to pay a full-day's cover at 4PM. Eh. So it goes. Easily overlooked when you are swimming in the refreshing water after walking around 110+ degrees for the day and drinking an ice-cold Efes (appropriate beer for the day if you ask me, considering Ephesus is Efes in Turkish).
At long last, we headed back to Izmir for our last supper with Julie. And what better way to have her last supper than with fish, bread, and wine. In the spirit of our religious day, of course. It had NOTHING to do with our love of each of those items. As per usual, we shared a few or our favorite mezzes and we were in for a show when we got around to the main course... "salt fish." Ece had already chosen the lucky fish in the display case that would eventually wind up on our plates. Before serving the yummy meal, the chef places the fish in a block of salt and begins to grill it for about a half-hour. It is presented to the table while still in its skin while still in the block of salt. The block of salt is set ablaze for one final roasting and as the fire is dying out, the server pulls out the serving utensils that most resemble a hammer and nail. He began chipping away at the salt and before long, the fish appeared. He began pulling it apart from the skin and bones and dividing it up onto our plates. As you know, I'm not one to see an animal in its form before it's on my plate, but this exception was worth it. Mighty tasty. Mighty tasty indeed.
Soon after we finally finished our final feast with Julie (and Ece and Emily vowed the meals would need to decrease over the next week if we wanted to fit into our seats on our return flights), we headed back to the hotel for a brief night of sleep. A very brief night. Julie and Ece got a whopping three hours of sleep before Ece drove her to the airport... I lucked out with an additional two or three hours. Guess the throwing up a few nights prior got me out of a 3:30 wake-up. Muh-wah-ah-ah. Evil laugh.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
"Taken Care Of"
At this point in the trip, we began to take notice of the importance Turkey places on having connections. After all, we stayed in a hotel in Istanbul where only professors are supposed to stay. We visited a legendary poet's home that was locked and guarded from the general public. And now, we were departing for Cappadocia, where we were to be "taken care of" by Ece's sister's friend, Serpil. We assumed "taken care of" translated to "a hotel reservation was made." What we did not expect was that Serpil was the owner of Otel Mustafa and would be providing us a suite for two nights, free of charge.
We arrived at the airport for Cappadocia late Monday night, and Serpil had arranged for a shuttle to pick us up. This was no small feat, considering the hotel and the main Cappadocia attractions were an hour away from the airport. Once we arrived in our suite, we were off to sleep...all in our own beds. No sharing in this place!
The next morning, we met Serpil, the hotel owner, for breakfast, courtesy of the hotel. Then we prepared for a daylong guided tour of Cappadocia. Per my trusty guidebook, "the landscape of Cappadocia was created around 30 million years ago, when erupting volcanoes blanketed the region with ash. The ash solidified into an easily eroded material called tuff, overlain in places worn away, creating distinctive formations, including the capped-cone "fairy chimneys" near Ürgüp." They are referred to as "fairy chimneys" because it was believed they were the chimneys of fairies that lived under the ground. Although we paid for the tour, Serpil had arranged for a private tour that catered to our interests, rather than the large bus tour we saw all around Cappadocia.
As we walked around the land surrounded by the fairy chimneys, it reminded me of when you look at clouds and try to draw a comparison between the cloud shape and another tangible object. Over the course of the day, our tour guide introduced us to fairy chimneys that resembled the likes of naked women, camels, snakes, Queen Elizabeth, and Homer Simpson.
At one point of the walk around the land, we approached a couple camels, and Julie and I mounted one for a small walk. We assumed the walk would be a little more adventurous than a stroll around a little circle like a petting zoo. We were wrong. Nonetheless, camels are fun.
Our tour also included observing the artists create the crafts the region is known for, namely pottery and jewelry. During one stop, we witnessed one of the country's famous artists, Chez Galip, spin a mean pile of clay into pottery. Then it was our turn. Julie and I both created what appeared to be flower pots while Ece took an embarrassing video clip to prove it. Turns out, we are naturals. All it takes is being gentle with the clay.
After throwing clay, we stopped by a jeweler and watched the craftsman cut a block of marble into an egg-shaped figure. When he was finished, our jewelry store guide asked us what "Cappadocia" meant. I quickly responded, "land of the beautiful horses," which was correct, so he presented me with a marble egg. Naturally I was thrilled with the prize, considering it allowed my competitive streak to come out, but I'm paying for it now that I have to lug around another item that adds weight to my gazillion-pound-bag.
We wandered around the land of beautiful horses a little while longer, and eventually were returned to our hotel for dinner. We came to realize that the "being taken care of" continued at this point. While we had planned to take Serpil out to dinner to thank her for her generosity, instead, she arranged for us to have dinner at the hotel.
Once again, we feasted on Mediterranean deliciousness, and unfortunately for me, it was a recipe for disaster. Following a night tour of the fairy chimneys all lit up, we returned to the hotel to get a few hours of sleep before awaking at 4:30 for a hot-air balloon ride over Cappadocia. To my dismay, my body had a different plan in mind. Rather than resting up for the balloon ride, I spent the night hugging porcelain as I hurled everything I must have consumed over the past couple days. Not cool. Really, not cool.
Obviously this altered our early morning plans, considering I did not have a strong desire to vomit over the side of a balloon. I was pretty sad about missing out on one of the few things I had my heart set on during this trip. Eh, so it goes. I will just have to return to Turkey in the near future and experience my eagerly anticipated hot-air balloon ride.
With my missed opportunity behind me and a very uneasy stomach remaining, we left Cappadocia in the direction of Ankara, Ece's hometown. Soon after we were on our way, we had one last stop for Cappadocia-esque sites: the underground cities. They are pretty amazing, considering they were created four-thousand years ago. Due to the earthquakes, the earth was made soft enough to create dwellings underground. As we made our way through the dwellings, we were soon about ten stories underground. It was fascinating to realize how the same people we referred to as cavemen also the intelligence and natural engineering skill set to create such a city. From the living quarters to the wells to the churches to the winery, the city had it all. All underground, that is. I wonder if the inhabitants feel as depressed as we do when we are sheltered from natural light all day at work...
When we finally made our way back up the underground city, we loaded the car and headed to Ankara. For the next three hours, I said a silent prayer that my body had rid itself of the food that poisoned me from the previous night. Lucky for me, I was in And it could not have come at a better time. When we arrived in Ankara, Ece's mother prepared us a delicious home cooked Turkish meal to feast on. Although I was still a tad apprehensive of how much I consumed, I could not resist trying what I am declaring to be the best dolma I've ever tasted. They were totally worth the trip to Turkey!
Well, thanks for hanging in there for this posting. I know it was a lengthy one, but as you are probably beginning to notice, I'm a little inconsistent with the timeliness of my blogging.
We arrived at the airport for Cappadocia late Monday night, and Serpil had arranged for a shuttle to pick us up. This was no small feat, considering the hotel and the main Cappadocia attractions were an hour away from the airport. Once we arrived in our suite, we were off to sleep...all in our own beds. No sharing in this place!
The next morning, we met Serpil, the hotel owner, for breakfast, courtesy of the hotel. Then we prepared for a daylong guided tour of Cappadocia. Per my trusty guidebook, "the landscape of Cappadocia was created around 30 million years ago, when erupting volcanoes blanketed the region with ash. The ash solidified into an easily eroded material called tuff, overlain in places worn away, creating distinctive formations, including the capped-cone "fairy chimneys" near Ürgüp." They are referred to as "fairy chimneys" because it was believed they were the chimneys of fairies that lived under the ground. Although we paid for the tour, Serpil had arranged for a private tour that catered to our interests, rather than the large bus tour we saw all around Cappadocia.
As we walked around the land surrounded by the fairy chimneys, it reminded me of when you look at clouds and try to draw a comparison between the cloud shape and another tangible object. Over the course of the day, our tour guide introduced us to fairy chimneys that resembled the likes of naked women, camels, snakes, Queen Elizabeth, and Homer Simpson.
At one point of the walk around the land, we approached a couple camels, and Julie and I mounted one for a small walk. We assumed the walk would be a little more adventurous than a stroll around a little circle like a petting zoo. We were wrong. Nonetheless, camels are fun.
Our tour also included observing the artists create the crafts the region is known for, namely pottery and jewelry. During one stop, we witnessed one of the country's famous artists, Chez Galip, spin a mean pile of clay into pottery. Then it was our turn. Julie and I both created what appeared to be flower pots while Ece took an embarrassing video clip to prove it. Turns out, we are naturals. All it takes is being gentle with the clay.
After throwing clay, we stopped by a jeweler and watched the craftsman cut a block of marble into an egg-shaped figure. When he was finished, our jewelry store guide asked us what "Cappadocia" meant. I quickly responded, "land of the beautiful horses," which was correct, so he presented me with a marble egg. Naturally I was thrilled with the prize, considering it allowed my competitive streak to come out, but I'm paying for it now that I have to lug around another item that adds weight to my gazillion-pound-bag.
We wandered around the land of beautiful horses a little while longer, and eventually were returned to our hotel for dinner. We came to realize that the "being taken care of" continued at this point. While we had planned to take Serpil out to dinner to thank her for her generosity, instead, she arranged for us to have dinner at the hotel.
Once again, we feasted on Mediterranean deliciousness, and unfortunately for me, it was a recipe for disaster. Following a night tour of the fairy chimneys all lit up, we returned to the hotel to get a few hours of sleep before awaking at 4:30 for a hot-air balloon ride over Cappadocia. To my dismay, my body had a different plan in mind. Rather than resting up for the balloon ride, I spent the night hugging porcelain as I hurled everything I must have consumed over the past couple days. Not cool. Really, not cool.
Obviously this altered our early morning plans, considering I did not have a strong desire to vomit over the side of a balloon. I was pretty sad about missing out on one of the few things I had my heart set on during this trip. Eh, so it goes. I will just have to return to Turkey in the near future and experience my eagerly anticipated hot-air balloon ride.
With my missed opportunity behind me and a very uneasy stomach remaining, we left Cappadocia in the direction of Ankara, Ece's hometown. Soon after we were on our way, we had one last stop for Cappadocia-esque sites: the underground cities. They are pretty amazing, considering they were created four-thousand years ago. Due to the earthquakes, the earth was made soft enough to create dwellings underground. As we made our way through the dwellings, we were soon about ten stories underground. It was fascinating to realize how the same people we referred to as cavemen also the intelligence and natural engineering skill set to create such a city. From the living quarters to the wells to the churches to the winery, the city had it all. All underground, that is. I wonder if the inhabitants feel as depressed as we do when we are sheltered from natural light all day at work...
When we finally made our way back up the underground city, we loaded the car and headed to Ankara. For the next three hours, I said a silent prayer that my body had rid itself of the food that poisoned me from the previous night. Lucky for me, I was in And it could not have come at a better time. When we arrived in Ankara, Ece's mother prepared us a delicious home cooked Turkish meal to feast on. Although I was still a tad apprehensive of how much I consumed, I could not resist trying what I am declaring to be the best dolma I've ever tasted. They were totally worth the trip to Turkey!
Well, thanks for hanging in there for this posting. I know it was a lengthy one, but as you are probably beginning to notice, I'm a little inconsistent with the timeliness of my blogging.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
"Can't You Smell That Smell?"
Monday was our last day in Istanbul and Ece, Julie, and I opted to try out public transportation, despite the previous night's warning that "taking a city bus was like playing Survivor." Considering our drastically increasing carbon footprint from this trip, we were up for the challenge.
So we arrived at the bus station, eager to begin a mean game of Survivor. The bus pulled up to our stop and we squeezed ourselves onto the tightly packed sardine can, clutching our wallets and valuables for dear life. Instantly, Ece and Julie grimaced and nonchalantly plugged their noses. I, however, looked as though nothing was wrong and gave them a look like, "what gives?"
Julie sidles on up to me and whispers, "Can't you smell that??? It is HORRIBLE!!!" I shook my head, "no," and I realized that the same allergies that prevented me from smelling the delicious aromas from the previous nights' dinners proved to be my saving grace from enduring what may have been the most toxic odor Ece and Julie ever experienced. To put it into perspective, Julie began smashing her nose into my upper arm, near my armpit, and claimed that she would rather smell my armpit on this 110-degree day than the odor of men in suits who do not incorporate applying deodorant into their daily routines.
Luckily, Julie & Ece remembered receiving men-cologne-smelling-handwipes provided at the end of the previous night's dinner. Julie pulled one out of her bag and held it up to her nose for a nice, long relief from the odor. Then she passed it to Ece for a whiff as though they were passing around a hookah pipe. The cologne aroma must have been mighty powerful because soon Julie announced she was going to sneeze. Ece looked at her and without flinching said, "Please sneeze on me. It would be better than standing next to this smelly man."
At long last, our joyride came to an end, and we departed the Survivor bus to go on another monster walk for one last time before departing Istanbul. It's been a fun ride; albeit, a fun, smelly ride.
So long, Istanbul. We'll meet again in a couple weeks when returning to the States.
So we arrived at the bus station, eager to begin a mean game of Survivor. The bus pulled up to our stop and we squeezed ourselves onto the tightly packed sardine can, clutching our wallets and valuables for dear life. Instantly, Ece and Julie grimaced and nonchalantly plugged their noses. I, however, looked as though nothing was wrong and gave them a look like, "what gives?"
Julie sidles on up to me and whispers, "Can't you smell that??? It is HORRIBLE!!!" I shook my head, "no," and I realized that the same allergies that prevented me from smelling the delicious aromas from the previous nights' dinners proved to be my saving grace from enduring what may have been the most toxic odor Ece and Julie ever experienced. To put it into perspective, Julie began smashing her nose into my upper arm, near my armpit, and claimed that she would rather smell my armpit on this 110-degree day than the odor of men in suits who do not incorporate applying deodorant into their daily routines.
Luckily, Julie & Ece remembered receiving men-cologne-smelling-handwipes provided at the end of the previous night's dinner. Julie pulled one out of her bag and held it up to her nose for a nice, long relief from the odor. Then she passed it to Ece for a whiff as though they were passing around a hookah pipe. The cologne aroma must have been mighty powerful because soon Julie announced she was going to sneeze. Ece looked at her and without flinching said, "Please sneeze on me. It would be better than standing next to this smelly man."
At long last, our joyride came to an end, and we departed the Survivor bus to go on another monster walk for one last time before departing Istanbul. It's been a fun ride; albeit, a fun, smelly ride.
So long, Istanbul. We'll meet again in a couple weeks when returning to the States.
Monday, June 23, 2008
"So I Took Off My Pants"
I guess Saturday put us in the mood for long walks, because on Sunday, we went all out. We started touring the few main attractions we had left to see in Istanbul, namely the Galata Tower. After that, Ece's brother-in-law led us to the Princess Islands, which is just a couple ferry rides away from the mainland. We went gonzo on a hike up a hill/mountain (not quite the mountains I had done in past trips, but significant nonetheless). The hike had gorgeous landscape as to be expected, and remained pretty uneventful, except for Julie's experience when we reached the top.
Before we began our descent, Julie decided to take advantage of the indoor bathroom, considering the alternative was to make one with nature. Well, after her experience, the alternative did not sound so bad:
Julie walks into the bathroom and notices that all but the first stall are taken. Naturally, she approaches the first stall and was puzzled at what she found behind the door.
A hole.
Just a hole.
In the ground.
She thinks to herself, "Hmmm, the others must be different, this canNOT be right."
So she closes the stall and waits for the second stall to open.
Once it opens, she peaks in and realizes it shares an uncanny resemblance with the first stall.
With the understanding that there are no other indoor alternatives and knowing that the bottom of the mountain is a very long time to wait, Julie decides to conquer "the hole."
She was not quite sure how to approach it, but figured the best way would be to rid herself of any obstacles.
So she began to take off her clothes.
Moments later, she reappeared, and relived the experience for our group. Julie's natural inquiry for Ece was to ensure she was supposed to get naked to use the pseudo-toilet. Ece and I stare back with our eyes popping out of our heads. If you have ever been camping, you know this is not the case. While laughing hysterically, Ece and I tried to teach Julie the ideal squatting pose so she will know better in the future. Little did we know that Julie had a little plan of her own... to NEVER deal with said hole ever again.
We eventually made our way back down the mountain and boarded the ferry to head back to Istanbul-Europe... with one small detour... Istanbul-Asia! Although I do not feel like I can get full credit for checking another continent off my list, I can honestly say, I visited Asia!
Before we began our descent, Julie decided to take advantage of the indoor bathroom, considering the alternative was to make one with nature. Well, after her experience, the alternative did not sound so bad:
Julie walks into the bathroom and notices that all but the first stall are taken. Naturally, she approaches the first stall and was puzzled at what she found behind the door.
A hole.
Just a hole.
In the ground.
She thinks to herself, "Hmmm, the others must be different, this canNOT be right."
So she closes the stall and waits for the second stall to open.
Once it opens, she peaks in and realizes it shares an uncanny resemblance with the first stall.
With the understanding that there are no other indoor alternatives and knowing that the bottom of the mountain is a very long time to wait, Julie decides to conquer "the hole."
She was not quite sure how to approach it, but figured the best way would be to rid herself of any obstacles.
So she began to take off her clothes.
Moments later, she reappeared, and relived the experience for our group. Julie's natural inquiry for Ece was to ensure she was supposed to get naked to use the pseudo-toilet. Ece and I stare back with our eyes popping out of our heads. If you have ever been camping, you know this is not the case. While laughing hysterically, Ece and I tried to teach Julie the ideal squatting pose so she will know better in the future. Little did we know that Julie had a little plan of her own... to NEVER deal with said hole ever again.
We eventually made our way back down the mountain and boarded the ferry to head back to Istanbul-Europe... with one small detour... Istanbul-Asia! Although I do not feel like I can get full credit for checking another continent off my list, I can honestly say, I visited Asia!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
An Educational Experience
We had an educational experience on Saturday. No, really. Ece's brother-in-law took us to his alma mater, Bosphorous University, to see a real live Turkish campus. It's crazy! They have buildings and students and books and classrooms! Crazy, I tell you!
For years, the university was for used for Americans to study, but currently caters to Turkish students. It is located on the sparkling Bosphorous, hence its name, which separates Turkey in Europe from Turkey in Asia. We stood on the European side and looked straight across to Asia. The part of Istanbul that surrounds the campus is called Babek, a trendy far less touristy part of the city. I'd call it the Georgetown of Istanbul, only less popped collars. I assume it is comparable in terms of d-bags, which I'm learning they refer to as "kros" in Turkish.
We learned about one of the revolutionary writers/independent thinkers/poets of the time, Tevfik Fikret, and we even toured his house. A lot of what the Turkish students learned about them reminded me of how a lot of our U.S. classes teach Hemingway.
After walking miles up the water, we took a small break by enjoying what may be our new favorite drink-- mint lemonade (think a mojito sans booze). When I say, "our new favorite drink," I'm talking like I want to mass produce this baby and share it with the World. Perhaps I'll set up a vending cart to spread the joy we experienced with a single sip to all of the lands. And by "lands," I mean on the National Mall or Eastern Market.
Ece, Julie, Ece's sister, and I took a boat ride around the Bosphorous River, which floats along both the European and Asian coasts. Upon our return to land, we met up with a few of Ece's high school buddies and wandered through another market. This time, far less people and a lot less bargaining power...even though the vendors originally purchased their goods from the Grand Bazaar.
We eventually left the Babek area and met up with Ece's family for, shockingly, another enormous Turkish meal. Everyone at the table ordered what the restaurant was famous for-- iskender kebab. Everyone but me. Settle down, everyone. Just because I'm in Turkey doesn't mean I started eating four-legged animals.
I think that's all for now. We only have one day left in Istanbul, and then we're head out to our next Turkish city!
For years, the university was for used for Americans to study, but currently caters to Turkish students. It is located on the sparkling Bosphorous, hence its name, which separates Turkey in Europe from Turkey in Asia. We stood on the European side and looked straight across to Asia. The part of Istanbul that surrounds the campus is called Babek, a trendy far less touristy part of the city. I'd call it the Georgetown of Istanbul, only less popped collars. I assume it is comparable in terms of d-bags, which I'm learning they refer to as "kros" in Turkish.
We learned about one of the revolutionary writers/independent thinkers/poets of the time, Tevfik Fikret, and we even toured his house. A lot of what the Turkish students learned about them reminded me of how a lot of our U.S. classes teach Hemingway.
After walking miles up the water, we took a small break by enjoying what may be our new favorite drink-- mint lemonade (think a mojito sans booze). When I say, "our new favorite drink," I'm talking like I want to mass produce this baby and share it with the World. Perhaps I'll set up a vending cart to spread the joy we experienced with a single sip to all of the lands. And by "lands," I mean on the National Mall or Eastern Market.
Ece, Julie, Ece's sister, and I took a boat ride around the Bosphorous River, which floats along both the European and Asian coasts. Upon our return to land, we met up with a few of Ece's high school buddies and wandered through another market. This time, far less people and a lot less bargaining power...even though the vendors originally purchased their goods from the Grand Bazaar.
We eventually left the Babek area and met up with Ece's family for, shockingly, another enormous Turkish meal. Everyone at the table ordered what the restaurant was famous for-- iskender kebab. Everyone but me. Settle down, everyone. Just because I'm in Turkey doesn't mean I started eating four-legged animals.
I think that's all for now. We only have one day left in Istanbul, and then we're head out to our next Turkish city!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
"How do they make it blue?"'
On Friday, our first full day in Istanbul, we learned teh best way to cure jetlag was by powering through all the ancient touristy sites the city had to offer.
First stop, the Blue Mosque (after passing Constantine's Column -constructed in 330 AD - on the way to the mosque). The mosque, officially named Sultan Ahmet Camii, is referred to as the Blue Mosque. How do they make it blue, you ask? It is primarily because of the blue iznik tilework decorating its interior. It is absolutely stunning, and rightfully so, considering some of the same stonemasons who helped build the Taj Mahal had a hand in this structure. According to my Turkey guidebook, which I plan to reference quite often when blogging (thank you, Chrissy!), "Sultan Ahmet I commissioned the mosque during a period of declining Ottoman fortunes and it was built between 1609-16 by Mehmet Aga, the imperial architect. The splendor at the time provoked great hostility at the time, because a mosque with six minarets was considered a sacrilegious attempt to rival the architecture of Mecca." Upon entering the mosque, we noticed others washing their feet and going through several customs before entering (this was a practice of those going to prayer there, not the typical visitors such as ourselves). Instead, we slipped off our shoes and wrapped pashminas around our shoulderes and legs if any part of our shoulders or skin above the knee was revealed. Here I thought if I wore shorts that just covered my knees, I was homefree from having to wear a pashmina around my waist. Turns out, that rule applies to you if you do not have long shins. I guess the fact that they saw more skin revealed for me, even though it was my ankle and shin, required me to cover what must have been my shins.
After oohing and ahhing at the inside of the Blue Mosque dome, which contains beautifully painted designs, we headed over the Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya). Hagia Sophia, "the Church of Holy Wisdom," was announced as one of Newsweeks' Wonders of Man several years back, and it certainly lives up to that reputation as one of the world's greatest architectural achievements. Constructed in the 6th century, it is over 1400 years old and influenced much of the architecture of the following centuries, including the Blue Mosque. The Ottomans converted it into a mosque in the 15th century by adding the likes of minarets, tombs, and fountains, which is how it appears today. Even as we look closely to the painting on the interior of the dome, we could see the attempt to paint over the previous artwork, consisting of all things Jesus, Mary, and crosses.
Upon completing Hagia Sophia, we contemplated stopping for lunch, but thought we would just go through Topkapi Palace and grab something after that. HUGE mistake! The palace is enormous! Topkapi Palace, was built under the command of Mehmet II, following his conquest of Constantinople, and was intended to act as his principal residence. Trust me, if you saw this so-called-principal-residence, you would agree that a secondary residence was entirely unnecessary. "Rather than a single building, it was conceived as a series of pavilions contained by four enormous courtyards, a stone version of the tented encampments from which the nomadic Ottomans had emerged."-- thanks again, trusty travel guide book. Even after being abandoned in 1853 in favor of a new palace, it still remains a tremendous tourist attraction.
After an exhausting tour through the palace, we stopped in the palace cafe for lunch, sharing several mezzes among the four of us (Julie, Ece, Ece's mother, and me), and headed off to Basilica Cistern. Again, I'll borrow from my book because I'm getting short on time (and because we did not know what we were viewing most of the time we were touring the cistern):
"This vast underground water cistern, a beautiful piece of Byzantine engineering, is the most unusual tourist attraction in the city. Although there may have been an earlier, smaller cistern here, this cavernous vault was laid out mainly to satisfy the growing demands of the Great Palace. For a century after the conquest, the Ottomans did not know of hte cistern's existence. It was rediscovered after people were found to be collecting water, and even fish, by lowering buckets through holes in their basement."
At last, we braved the well-known, Grand Bazaar. If you are ever thinking of visiting Turkey and inevitably the Grand Bazaar, let me share some advice: Do NOT attend said bazaar at the end of your touristy day. Big mistake. While it was fun to walk around and look at all the merchants had to offer, we did not have the energy to truly shop, much less bargain for what we wanted. We still had a good time, even if we were paying asking price for most of what was sold. It is sooo much easier when you're speaking their language, or at a minimum, you know a few words of their language, which has been the case for most of my previous travel, considering I go to Spanish-speaking countries until now.
Finished the evening in the typical fashion by meeting up with Ece's family (father, sister, brother-in-law, cousin, cousin's fiance) and indulging in another delicious meal of mezzes! Although nearly impossible, it seems that each one gets better than the previous one! This time, we could not sit down for the full three+ hours, because Turkey was about to take on Croatia in the Euro Cup soccer tourney. We watched it with the other people staying in the hotel and after an amazing game where Turkey won in penalty shots (I'm sure I'm not using the correct soccer lingo, forgive me), Ece's mother instructed us to stay away from the windows because there would be gunshots in the air due to the excitement. Ummmmm, what? That's right, rather than wave the flag around and simply sing songs to celebrate the victory, the fans pull out their guns and shoot in the air. I see NOOO problem with that!? Well, I'm here to write that we all survived. We're looking forward to watching the next round for Turkey when we'll be in Ankara, Ece's hometown!
First stop, the Blue Mosque (after passing Constantine's Column -constructed in 330 AD - on the way to the mosque). The mosque, officially named Sultan Ahmet Camii, is referred to as the Blue Mosque. How do they make it blue, you ask? It is primarily because of the blue iznik tilework decorating its interior. It is absolutely stunning, and rightfully so, considering some of the same stonemasons who helped build the Taj Mahal had a hand in this structure. According to my Turkey guidebook, which I plan to reference quite often when blogging (thank you, Chrissy!), "Sultan Ahmet I commissioned the mosque during a period of declining Ottoman fortunes and it was built between 1609-16 by Mehmet Aga, the imperial architect. The splendor at the time provoked great hostility at the time, because a mosque with six minarets was considered a sacrilegious attempt to rival the architecture of Mecca." Upon entering the mosque, we noticed others washing their feet and going through several customs before entering (this was a practice of those going to prayer there, not the typical visitors such as ourselves). Instead, we slipped off our shoes and wrapped pashminas around our shoulderes and legs if any part of our shoulders or skin above the knee was revealed. Here I thought if I wore shorts that just covered my knees, I was homefree from having to wear a pashmina around my waist. Turns out, that rule applies to you if you do not have long shins. I guess the fact that they saw more skin revealed for me, even though it was my ankle and shin, required me to cover what must have been my shins.
After oohing and ahhing at the inside of the Blue Mosque dome, which contains beautifully painted designs, we headed over the Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya). Hagia Sophia, "the Church of Holy Wisdom," was announced as one of Newsweeks' Wonders of Man several years back, and it certainly lives up to that reputation as one of the world's greatest architectural achievements. Constructed in the 6th century, it is over 1400 years old and influenced much of the architecture of the following centuries, including the Blue Mosque. The Ottomans converted it into a mosque in the 15th century by adding the likes of minarets, tombs, and fountains, which is how it appears today. Even as we look closely to the painting on the interior of the dome, we could see the attempt to paint over the previous artwork, consisting of all things Jesus, Mary, and crosses.
Upon completing Hagia Sophia, we contemplated stopping for lunch, but thought we would just go through Topkapi Palace and grab something after that. HUGE mistake! The palace is enormous! Topkapi Palace, was built under the command of Mehmet II, following his conquest of Constantinople, and was intended to act as his principal residence. Trust me, if you saw this so-called-principal-residence, you would agree that a secondary residence was entirely unnecessary. "Rather than a single building, it was conceived as a series of pavilions contained by four enormous courtyards, a stone version of the tented encampments from which the nomadic Ottomans had emerged."-- thanks again, trusty travel guide book. Even after being abandoned in 1853 in favor of a new palace, it still remains a tremendous tourist attraction.
After an exhausting tour through the palace, we stopped in the palace cafe for lunch, sharing several mezzes among the four of us (Julie, Ece, Ece's mother, and me), and headed off to Basilica Cistern. Again, I'll borrow from my book because I'm getting short on time (and because we did not know what we were viewing most of the time we were touring the cistern):
"This vast underground water cistern, a beautiful piece of Byzantine engineering, is the most unusual tourist attraction in the city. Although there may have been an earlier, smaller cistern here, this cavernous vault was laid out mainly to satisfy the growing demands of the Great Palace. For a century after the conquest, the Ottomans did not know of hte cistern's existence. It was rediscovered after people were found to be collecting water, and even fish, by lowering buckets through holes in their basement."
At last, we braved the well-known, Grand Bazaar. If you are ever thinking of visiting Turkey and inevitably the Grand Bazaar, let me share some advice: Do NOT attend said bazaar at the end of your touristy day. Big mistake. While it was fun to walk around and look at all the merchants had to offer, we did not have the energy to truly shop, much less bargain for what we wanted. We still had a good time, even if we were paying asking price for most of what was sold. It is sooo much easier when you're speaking their language, or at a minimum, you know a few words of their language, which has been the case for most of my previous travel, considering I go to Spanish-speaking countries until now.
Finished the evening in the typical fashion by meeting up with Ece's family (father, sister, brother-in-law, cousin, cousin's fiance) and indulging in another delicious meal of mezzes! Although nearly impossible, it seems that each one gets better than the previous one! This time, we could not sit down for the full three+ hours, because Turkey was about to take on Croatia in the Euro Cup soccer tourney. We watched it with the other people staying in the hotel and after an amazing game where Turkey won in penalty shots (I'm sure I'm not using the correct soccer lingo, forgive me), Ece's mother instructed us to stay away from the windows because there would be gunshots in the air due to the excitement. Ummmmm, what? That's right, rather than wave the flag around and simply sing songs to celebrate the victory, the fans pull out their guns and shoot in the air. I see NOOO problem with that!? Well, I'm here to write that we all survived. We're looking forward to watching the next round for Turkey when we'll be in Ankara, Ece's hometown!
Friday, June 20, 2008
"Yum!"
Well Thursday was a wash. I departed from home at 5:30PM EST on Wednesday and arrived in Istanbul at 5:30PM Turkish time on Thursday. Granted, even with the short time remaining on Thursday night, I already knew I would fall in love with the country. For from the moment I stepped off the plane, I have been indulging in the deliciousness that is Turkish cuisine. From the sweet cherries Ece brought to the airport to share with us upon our arrival to the bazillion course dinner we had a few hours later to the breakfast I'm about to enjoy consisting of watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives, Turkish bread, etc., I think I'm going to be okay when it comes to eating here. I am not sure how the Turks stay thin, because if I continue to eat like I did the first night, I can guarantee I will need the seat belt extension on my return flight.
So Thursday night was not my first night of mezzes. It was, however, my first Turkish meal in Turkey with Ece and her family. When I've enjoyed them at Zaytinya or Tabaq or the new restaurant on Barracks Row, we probably order two to three mezzes per person and share, and still, we are unable to finish what we order. That was brought to a whole new level on Thursday night. Name a mezze from a Mediterranean restaurant, and we had it on our table at some point. And not just one, but two or three plates of each! Add wine, fish, and the best baklava ever, and you have yourself a Turkish meal!
As we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant, Ece's sister and her sister's husband invited us to join them at Reina, a club where people go to be seen. And by "people," I mean "celebrities" and "call girls." I find it horribly ironic that the same country that enforces covering all revealing skin upon entering a mosque left us feeling underexposed as we entered Reina and realized that every other skirt in the place was twelve inches ABOVE the knee. We had plenty of fun at Reina, watching the other patrons hit on the ladies (thankfully, our skin-covering attire did not give off the "I'm a call girl" vibe) and indulging in the bowls of fruit and pistachios on the tables. Fruit and pistachios are far better than the peanuts and popcorn bowls I became accustomed to in the States.
So Thursday night was not my first night of mezzes. It was, however, my first Turkish meal in Turkey with Ece and her family. When I've enjoyed them at Zaytinya or Tabaq or the new restaurant on Barracks Row, we probably order two to three mezzes per person and share, and still, we are unable to finish what we order. That was brought to a whole new level on Thursday night. Name a mezze from a Mediterranean restaurant, and we had it on our table at some point. And not just one, but two or three plates of each! Add wine, fish, and the best baklava ever, and you have yourself a Turkish meal!
As we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant, Ece's sister and her sister's husband invited us to join them at Reina, a club where people go to be seen. And by "people," I mean "celebrities" and "call girls." I find it horribly ironic that the same country that enforces covering all revealing skin upon entering a mosque left us feeling underexposed as we entered Reina and realized that every other skirt in the place was twelve inches ABOVE the knee. We had plenty of fun at Reina, watching the other patrons hit on the ladies (thankfully, our skin-covering attire did not give off the "I'm a call girl" vibe) and indulging in the bowls of fruit and pistachios on the tables. Fruit and pistachios are far better than the peanuts and popcorn bowls I became accustomed to in the States.
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