Istanbul, the brilliant jewel of various empires for thousands of years and a place I was greatly looking forward to, did not disappoint. Turkey is among our most exotic destinations this trip, and as I alluded to last blog, it rekindled my traveling spirit. Don't get me wrong, as our trip begins to wind down I still feel a measure of relief. But this place is definitely a breath of fresh air and gave us plenty of fun stuff to explore.
Our hostel had one of the best terraces we've ever gotten; high above the neighborhood of Sultanahmet, sandwiched between the towering Blue Mosque on the north (see picture) and the glittering sea of Marmara to the south. During the day, it was a perfect spot for people watching in the street below: carpet sellers playing backgammon on the sidewalk, fishmongers pushing carts, and tourists bumbling about in wildly inappropriate dress. By night, we cooked over a tiny gas stove and then enjoyed our dinner with fresh bread and a romantic ocean view. What could be better?
One reason I enjoyed the city so much was that we gave it 6 days, so we didn't cram too much. Of course we saw the Blue Mosque, a cavernous and dramatic structure full of domes, arches and spilling sunlight. We gave a day to the grand bazaar, something like an indoor mall that's 400 years old and twenty blocks square, selling everything from backgammon sets and fruit tobacco to haircuts and (if the cut doesn't go as planned) a souvenir fez. We escaped without purchasing anything (unless you count a glass of Turkish tea).
One afternoon was for wandering around the Basilica Cistern, an underground reservoir reflecting hundreds of columns and a very spooky, mystical vibe. Another whole day was reserved for the hopelessly overwhelming archaeology museum, where I saw the history of Istanbul through Byzantine and Ottoman times, plus Babylonian lions, Roman friezes, Egyptian mummies and the world's oldest known peace treaty (3,000 years!). Best of all was the incredible Alexander Sarcophagus. Don't worry, we didn't neglect the Hagia Sophia - just saved it for last. It was once an orthodox basilica, then an Ottoman mosque, and now it's a secular museum. Its proportions are staggering (the dome is 56 meters high!) and it's a trove of history, including 12th century mosaics and 8th century Viking graffiti.
And in between, we enjoyed many a cup of coffee or apple tea, ambled through marketplaces, lingered on the bridge at sunset, and tried to hide from the withering heat. Coming up next: a brief tour through the Aegean and then the Mediterranean coasts of Turkey, then a boat to Greece. We will island hop our way back up to the continent, cross over the Adriatic to Italy, there to wend our way back to Rome and (sniff!) fly home. It's beginning to be over... but there are many adventures to be had in the meantime. Stay tuned.
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