Last night, we flew into Istanbul for four full days of sightseeing and culture absorption. The Turkish Airlines flight was half an hour late in leaving. Shortly before landing, we hit the worst turbulance I've ever experienced. Not only did we bounce up and down - we were also whipping from side to side. Maybe it was the two glasses of wine or just a sense of predestination but I thought it was kind of fun ... an aerial roller coaster ride. It's the first flight I can remember where the passengers actually applauded when we landed.
Today is cold and rainy and I found I had dressed more for the sunny and warm weather than this. The day started with quite a nice - and free - buffet breakfast at our hotel (salty cheeses, olives, yogurt, meats, breads along with the usual breakfast stuff). We stood in a very long line to get into the Blue Mosque, so-called because the interior is covered with blue tiles. At the door, we had to take off our shoes and pad across a wet carpet to enter the mosque. (Fortunately the entire interior is covered with a thick carpet which acted like a whick in drying our socks.) The interior was absolutely breathtaking.
Next we headed for the Basilica. This is an underground cistern from 532. Very Phantom of the Operish. We were amused at the huge fish that congregated close to the walkways. Obviously someone has been feeding them! We wondered if they had been introduced when the Ottomans were still using this for their drinking water.
The Grand Bazaar wasn't open today. We stopped for lunch at a Turkish restaurant where our waiter explained that today is Republican Day so many things are closed or close early. He made us promise to go down by the water this evening to see fireworks and illuminated buildings. We finished a delightful meal with our first taste of Turkish coffee. Whoa! You could stand your spoon upright in it and there was enough sludge at the bottom of the cup to warrant a visit from the EPA people. It reminded me of the stuff Greg and I cooked over an open fire when we made our one and only trip into the high Sierras. (Remember, Katie - that "easy" elevation gain your father promised us. Ha!) Of course, we loved it (the trip and the coffee).
We're staying in the Sultanahmet, the oldest part of the city and the location of most of the "must-sees". Cats rule here. You see them everywhere and they all look well fed and healthy. Greg saw a piece of cardboard lying next to a tree. On it, someone had written "Cat Pension" and piled on some dry cat food. At our restaurant, they had a favorite stray: a funny looking thing that had something wrong with her hind quarters and eyes that were vastly different from one another. (She looked like our cat 'Tude - aptly named - looked like after I ran her over with the car ... something which did nothing to improve her attitude, I might add.) I've only seen two dogs. Both looked well fed (believe me, I check these things out), had no collar but had a tag in their ear. I need to ask somebody about that.
As I'm writing this, Greg is taking a nap and the air outside our room is filled with metallic song from tinny sounding speakers calling the faithful to prayer.
I think I like Istanbul. We did get the requisite amount of overly friendly hawkers trying to convince us to buy something or visit their shops ... but Hong Kong had prepared us for that. The people at lunch showed us the other, less touristy side of the city ... a people who are proud of their heritage and anxious to share it with visitors.
And, yes, I think we will brave the weather to see the festivities tonight.
Resources:
Arden Hotel was inexpensive and basic but it is located right in the thick of things, just a few short blocks to all the main sites.
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