Turkeys M Hideaways Day 3
Turkeys M Hideaways
Day 3 - 04/09/06 Explore Istanbul: Blue Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, Turkish & Islamic Art Museum, Hagia Sophia, and Part of Optional Tour
Our room by the sea brought us the early morning sounds of fog-horns, seagulls, as well as traffic from the docks. At 5:30 we heard the call to prayer from the Blue Mosque across the street. We were up before our 7 AM alarm and took a little time to reorganize our things for the day.
We shared our breakfast with a few of our OAT travelers and chatted with the group that is one day ahead of us. While we waited for our guide Meltem and two other couples from our group I went out to take a few pictures of the hotel and the neighborhood. It is cool again and overcast but no rain. The garden around this former palace are beautiful with sculptured trees and many spring flowers; tulips, primroses, and pansies.
Because we are beginning our tours today, Sunday, Meltem suggested we rearrange our schedule a bit to make sure we get to see the museums that are open today and closed tomorrow as well as the spice market which will be open on Monday and take advantage of all Instanbul has to offer us.
Istanbul is a sprawling city of ten million people, partly in Europe and partly in Asia, with its geography defined by three famous waterways: The Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus Strait, and the Golden Horn. The Sea of Marmara lies to the south.
The Bosporus Strait divides the European and Asian sections of the city and forms the route from the Marmara to the Black Sea. The Golden Horn divides European Istanbul into the modern Beyoglu section to the north and Old Stamboul (Eski Istanbul) to the south. The famous Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn to link these two parts of the city.
At 9 AM we set off on a comprehensive exploration of Eski Istanbul; the historic city formerly called Byzantium and later Constantinople. We began our tour with a brief walk to the classic Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camisi), so-called for the shimmering blue tiles that line its interior.
Flanked by six symmetrical soaring minarets, it is one of the defining elements of the Istanbul skyline. This classic of Ottoman architectural design was constructed under the patronage of Sultan Ahmet I, from 1609-1616.
Our next stop was the ancient hippodrome from the Byzantine era which was popular as a gathering place for horse races, sports of all kinds and classical entertainment. Seating for 80,000 people who would attend these events is no longer visible. This is now one of the main squares. We recognized the obelisk from Karnac that was given to the Sultan in 390 AD as a gift to the empire.
Wee visited the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, which is located in the 16th-century palace of Ibrahim Pasa. Displays include Seljuk carpets from the 13th century (the oldest in Turkey) along with illuminated manuscripts, carved Koran cases, and calligraphy.
Meltem gave us a brief history of the ethnic and geographical Turks and the land of Anatolia. We were amazed by the well preserved and beautiful displays of carpet and kilim (two dimensional weavings).
After we visited the Art Museum we crossed the park and had lunch at the famous Pudding Palace where youthful travelers heading into Afghanistan and Nepal began their trek on the hippie trail.
At 1 PM we crossed the plaza again and Meltem gave us an introduction of Hagia Sophia, the "Church of Divine Wisdom." Completed under the Emperor Justinian in AD 537, the magnificent dome of the Hagia Sophia was once the preeminent architectural wonder of the Byzantine world.
The massive building was a Christian church for almost a thousand years, until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, when Mehmet the Conqueror claimed it for Islam. The building served as a mosque until 1934, when the revolutionary leader and founder of the Republic, Kemal Atatiirk, proclaimed it as a museum.
We met our small 12 passenger mini-van at 2 and our driver who took us to the Military Museum, where we were able to see weapons and other articles of combat used by the many generations of Turks in the Byzantine and Ottoman Empire and then in more recent military campaigns. We also attended a concert of traditional drum and horns by the historical Ottoman Military band. We had some free time for a closer look at the artifacts and met our group at 4:10.
We got back in the van for a brief tour of several exclusive neighborhoods on our way to the Bosporus. Meltem bought us a simit, pretzel like roll covered in sesame seeds, a great afternoon pick-me-up treat. We took a stroll along the waterfront taking pictures and watching the locals enjoy their Sunday afternoon. Our hotel is very centrally located so it did not take long to get back to our neighborhood and our familiar Blue Mosque.
I borrowed the hotel's laptop computer and was able to upload the journals from Day 2 but I am still having problems with my own computer's wireless drivers. We were able to check on our UOP classes and appreciated the notes we had gotten from our son Eduardo.
We decided we were a little hungry so we went out. There were a lot of people enjoying themselves with their friends in and around the Blue Mosque. We walked back to kebab place and we were greeted warmly by the proprietor and his staff, who remembered us from last night!
He made us a place and we ordered two beef kebabs. As we left he gave Gennie a warm hug and then ran after us and gave us two fresh oranges. Just another example of how warm and welcoming the people have been here in Turkey. We walked back to our hotel taking night pictures of the traffic, buildings, and people. When we got back to the hotel, we had the oranges for dessert!
Accommodations: Sultanahmet Sarayi Hotel - - - Meals: B
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