Istanbul - Day 6, Saturday

Today’s theme: Topkapi Palace. This was probably the most impressive site I have seen in Istanbul. It is truly amazing! After about 3 hours, I was ready to call it quits; but, looking on Wikipedia now, I realize that we missed out several sections! It is a really big palace. If you ever go, make sure to see the Harem. I thought this section of the palace offered some of the most amazing architecture and ornamentation. I was most suprised by the number of baths and water fountains. Below is a golden washroom for the Sultan. We were also very impressed by the collection of ancient relics, such as the staff of Moses, turban from Abraham, and several objects from Mohammed. I don't want to leave out the jewelry and royal artifacts because they are also stunning. Perhaps the most stunning of all, are the views from the palace! Well worth a visit.

After a grueling visit to the palace, we found a restaurant named Doy Doy. This was a great treat because it was a recommendation from my friend Anne who has been to Istanbul several times with her Turkish husband, Hakkan. No better tip than from a friend! Lunch was delicious and totally hit the spot. After lunch, Lenny and I started loading up on some great souvenirs from the Arastra Bazaar (it was my 3rd trip there!). I got some wonderful earrings and Lenny found some great cufflinks. It is so special to pick up little treats to remind you of your travels.

In the later afternoon, we headed back over the Galata Bridge so Lenny could see the Galata Tower and the amazing views of Istanbul from up there. He also helped me find the Ashkenazi Synagogue where my grandma attended services when she lived here (Lenny is much better with a map than I am- see Wednesday’s story). Seriously, the synagogue is very tough to see from the road because it is set back a bit and above a small store. It was really special to be able to see a place that so directly connects with my grandma. I love you Suzi!

For our last dinner out we went to an authentic Turkish restaurant. We sat on pillows and had kebabs, filled pancakes, and fish stew. I couldn’t eat it all the time, but I do love Turkish food. I headed back to the hotel around 10:30 to finish some blog entries while the experience is still fresh… but Lenny headed out for a backgammon rematch with Sam. It is about 1 a.m. now and there is still no sight of Lenny. That’s my man. I hope he whoops Sam again!

Istanbul - Day 5, Friday

Today was our day to see the big sights. We started the day by walking past the Hippodrome. We saw all three of the columns: Serpent, Constantine, and the Egyptian Obelisk. We were very lucky to have the use of a pocket guide Ingrid lent us for the trip; we read each section when as we were looking at the monument. Thanks, Ingrid!

Because it was prayer time (seems like it always is) the Sultan Ahmet Camii, Blue Mosque, was closed until later. In the meantime, we headed across the park to the AyaSofya. From the outside, it is really amazing. Once inside, Lenny and I were working to imagine about how it would have looked when it was originally constructed. I can see how it was the most amazing sight. Huge ceiling. Amazing tiles and mosaics. It would have been stunning. Sadly, it is now in great disrepair and we had a hard time imagining the full splendor. I am very glad that they are doing a large restoration project. (this is partially due to funding from the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture)

After the AyaSofya, we were able to go into the Blue Mosque. It is much smaller in size, but in better condition (it is still a functioning mosque). This was our second time being inside of a mosque (the first was in Israel). One thing that I noticed, in comparison with the AyaSofya, is that the mosque was very ornate, but not pictures of scenes or specific images as the church was. There were tiles with patterns covering almost every inch of the walls, but they were just tessellations of geometric shapes.

We finished out the touring with a trip to the Yerebatan Sarayi, Basilica Cistern, which is an underground cistern built to supply water to Emperor Justinian’s palace and gardens in the 532. Two of the more famous, and impressive columns, feature sculptures of Medusa’s head. It is believed that these were brought here from the ancient city of Chalcedon. The last tour stop of the day was the Spice Market for some Turkish Delight. You just can’t come here for a visit and skip a food named after the country! We learned that we like the ones with nuts in them. Yummy.

In the Spice Bazaar

If we were mere mortals, that would be the end of a day. But…. I am married to Lenny! So, we got cleaned up at the hotel and headed out for the evening! Tonight we met up with Sam, a friend of Jayme and Emily’s who has been living in Istanbul for a few years. It was great to get to ask him a few questions that we had been wondering about. Lenny also whooped Sam in a game of backgammon, which is a huge national pastime here. We were home by 2:20 a.m.

Istanbul - Day 4, Thursday

We were up and out the door at a reasonable hour today. We wanted to catch the 10:30 ferry up the Bosporus and needed to cue by 10 for a good seat. It was a wonderful day and a great way to see Istanbul from the water. (It also was a rest for my aching feet! Sadly, the pedometer died a horrible death as it quickly slipped into the pee-hole toilet in the boat!)



We stopped briefly in 6 ports along the river and got off at the last one, Anadolu Kavagi (Asia side). Once the ferry stopped we did the short walk up a steep hill to a Genoese Castle called Yoros Kalesi. It was build around the 14th century to protect the Bosporus river way. While much of the castle has been destroyed, the views were amazing!







We really lucked out on the weather and had an amazing day soaking in all the views. From the river, you get great views of the Dolmabahce Palace, the fortress of Rumeli Hisari, several mosques such as Sultan Abdul Mecit I, and of course the amazing homes along the river.

In the evening, we did a walk through of the Grand Bazaar. What a trip! We were talking strategy for almost 30 minutes before we even got there. Because it is off season, we didn’t really have any problems. But, I can only imagine what a zoo it becomes when it is really filled with people. After that, we saw a performance with a Sufi Music Concert and the whirling dervishes ceremony. Wow ~ very impressive. There was no photography allowed because it is a religious ceremony, but I will try to track down some images online. We were blown away by the talent of the Sufi musicians. And the dervishes! Also amazing. The Dervishes spun, and spun, and spun. Both of us were left wondering how on earth they didn’t get dizzy or fall over!

Istanbul - Day 3, Wednesday

Today I saw everything.... and nothing! But these boys were a real highlight. I am calling them my little lost saviors. (Yes, that is blatant foreshadowing.)

The day started out normally. Up, breakfast in the hotel, headed out for a relaxing day. Because I did so much walking yesterday, I decided to take the tram to my first destination of the day. I headed towards the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofiya because that is also where the Mosaic Museum is located. I was trying to pack in some of the smaller destinations today because Lenny and I will hit the major ones together.

I loved the Mosaic Museum. I don't know what it is about all the little pieces fitting together to make a picture that I love so much, but I think mosaics are incredible. Do I love them because I am a quilter or do I love quilts for the same reason I love mosaics?? Hard to know.

Being around this part of town makes you feel like you are friends with the world. Everyone is SO nice and friendly. :) I can't count the number of times I heard, "Miss. Just one question... where are you from?" As you can guess, this one question is followed with another one. I saw people posing as tourists just to start up a conversation... before you know it, they want to show you their... carpets! I did find myself in a store... with a cup of Turkish tea... being shown all the carpets I could ever dream of! The nice man assured me "even if you don't buy. we still friends." I did feel like everyone was very friendly and I didn't feel too much pressure. But they are quick to strike up a conversation and get you in their store. After pretending to be deaf, I found myself wishing to be away from the main tourist areas.

I thought it would be nice to follow up the Mosaic Museum with the Kariye Muzesi which is an old mosque that has been turned into a museum. It is on the 'must see' list, but out in a section of town away from the rest of the sights. Seemed like a perfect idea. Back on the tram.... then the metro. Before I headed off to find my Muzesi, I bought one of the bread circles I see sold everywhere. A little nourishment for the road ~ and what a road it was! Somehow I found myself walking along a dirt road with no sidewalk. This is really off the beaten path! I knew I was taking the road less traveled and I felt like a real little adventurer.... until I got to the Kariye Muzesi and discovered it was CLOSED. All this work and no reward? Ah, bummer. Okay... where to next?

I am going to skip through about 2 hours of looking for places to go. Getting there and finding out they were closed or I couldn't find them. Truth be told, there were a few moments of despair. But deep down I knew I would be fine... and I was getting the best experience for seeing real Turkish life. I was certainly away from the tourist district. (Teach me to watch what I wish for!) Thank goodness everyone was very nice because I had to stop every 10 steps or so and ask where I was.

I finally made my way back to the Golden Horn and the coast line. From there I knew how to get back to the hotel. I stopped once to rest my feet and have an amazing Mediterranean Salad with some Apple Tea. Delicious!

But, my 'take it easy' day resulted in just seeing the Mosaic Museum... and a whooping 8.9 miles on the pedometer. Hummm. Not what I was planning for. I finished off the day with some pain killers. I'll leave you to imagine me asking for that... think charades!

Tonight, Lenny arrives!

Istanbul - Tuesday, Day 2

What a day it has been! I feel like I am in a very exotic place. I don't know why I feel that way, but it feels very new and different to me. Maybe it has something to do with the way in which I woke up..

6 am: Someone was yelling outside my hotel room....loud enough to wake me up! Wait... no, not yelling... singing? No, not exactly singing.... what is that racket?? As I heard 5 times that day.... the mosques broadcast the daily prayers~through a loudspeaker! Each mosque broadcasts their service...and there are usually several within earshot!

9:30 Breakfast in the hotel~ love the cheese here! Delicious! Strong coffee, some fruit, bread and cheese. Off to a great start to the day.

I decided to wander around today. I was maybe going to hit a few sites along the way, but today was just a casual day to wander around and get my bearings (I brought the pedometer along with me- just wait until you hear the grand total mileage for my casual day strolling around!). I started by walking to the Galata pier just outside our hotel. Once I could see the bridge, it seemed like a great idea to walk across and check out the other side.

Since I was already on the other side... I thought I would wander up to the Galata Tower and take in a view of Istanbul from up high. The view was amazing. I was really taken by all the domes that cover the skyline. Of course there are the famous mosques (Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofya), but there are about 8 other ones you can see from the Galata Tower scattered around the city skyline. They are very beautiful... and very different architecturally from what I am used to seeing. It was very awesome... as in awe-inspiring :)

Then I walked back over the bridge and through the spice/Egyptian bazaar. My impression: colorful. I have never seen such colorful spices. Beautiful. From there I continued over to the Topkapi Palace and the Archeological Museum Complex. I went to all three of the archeological museums. My favorite things were the Alexander Sarcophagus from 4 BC (so named because it depicts images of Alexander), discus man (ironically on loan from the British Museum), and the tiles of the Tiled Pavilion.

When I was finished with all of this, I felt like I had really seen a lot and I had spent a full day out exploring. Imagine my disbelief when I saw a clock and it was only 3:30! Well, regardless of the time... my feet needed a break! I decided to head back to the hotel and have some down time before going out for dinner. Guess I wasn't done yet.... because on my way back to the hotel I took the scenic route through the Topkapi Palace Gardens and fell in love with this fantastic fountain sculpture.

4:15 back to the hotel, wrote yesterday's blog, put on a warmer sweater and headed off to dinner.

5:30-6:30 dinner at a little fish place under the Galata Bridge. Fried Mackerel ~ a local specialty. At the end of the day, I decided to treat myself to some baklavah! So, I went into a little shop where this adorable man put together a baklavah for one. I just asked for whatever is best! I know I earned it... ready for the pedometer total of the day..... 7.8 miles!

Istanbul - Monday, Day 1

** Warning** The next 7 days of blog will all be about ISTANBUL! I know this might be too much information for many people who read this blog, but I also use it as a journal and chronicle of trips and adventures. (I hope to turn the whole blog into a book when we move back to the states.) Because this trip to Turkey has been 35 years in the waiting for me, I am going to document like crazy! If it feels like too much for you.... skip ahead or read faster! :)

Flying out and arriving:
The trip started off great! Lenny was such a doll and woke up early to drive me to the airport. For me, there is something special about being dropped off or picked up at the airport. It is a real sign of love.

I am thrilled to say: I am 'city broken in'. I'm not calling myself a city girl yet, but I can now get around a city without worry. Living in London and using public transportation for a few years has served me well! I got off the plane, got some Turkish Liras from the atm(see photo of four banks in a row!). Then I popped into the airport supermarket for a Fanta (and to make change) and jumped on the M1 metro line. With a quick transfer to the T1 tram line, and a little 200 meters walk... I was at the hotel! It was all very smooth and easy.

After dropping my things at the hotel, I went out to grab a bite to eat. When I was young, my poor mom had to pack a suitcase of food for me when we went traveling (I am not exaggerating). I am glad to say that I am a little more adventurous these days. For dinner I had something called a spinach pastry. It was rather straight forward, a filo type bread around a spinach filling. I don't know exactly what spices they used, but it was distinctly new to me. It tasted very Middle Eastern.... but yummy.


Funny things of the day:

1. Did you catch my mention of a supermarket in the Istanbul Airport?!

2. I noticed that my way of communicating is to point at things. As a rule, I will only choose something to eat or drink that I can point at. I pointed at my dinner in the restaurant window and I pointed on the metro map to make sure I was about to catch the correct tram. Here is the funny part... as I point, I usually say something in English like, "This one, please". Both times... the person has responded in perfect English!

Sunshine and Shadows

I have lots of hobbies that I enjoy, but none as much as quilting. There is a strange joy I get from making something and watching it appear from nothing. I don't ever track how long it takes to make a quilt, I just enjoy each part for what it is. As I am working, I tend to spread the bits around on the sofa so I can see how it is coming together. Chula has a 100% track record of trying out all the quilts! It is like a stamp of approval.

Right now, I am making a quilt for Heather and her husband, Mauricio. It is my wedding gift for them.... even though they got married almost 3 years ago!

I bought the fabric before they got married and it was tucked away in a safe place and then it moved to London with me. To be honest, I wasn't sure what it was going to look like because I have never made a quilt like this before. It has been so fun watching it come to life. The pattern is called Sunshine and Shadows. I think it represents how marriage is a journey. We have good times in our life and hard times, but if we stick together we come out again to the sunshine. This blog entry is basically an initial glance for Heather and Mauricio.

Step 1: Cut all the fabrics into strips.

I found a great use for our drying rack as I tried to keep the strips organized.

Step 2: Sew the strips together into various orders.

Step 3: Slice the joined strips into 2 inch sections.

Step 4: Join the sections, join more sections, join the sections of the sections.

These steps finish the design section of the top. Here is a peak at the process....

I have not had a chance to join the sections and sections together yet. But I have set them out on the couch and they look really cool! I will have a chance to join them all up next week and you will get to see them then. Sorry to be such a tease!