Istanbul (not Constantinople!)

My long awaited journey has finally arrived! I had been looking forward to my trip to Istanbul since I arrived in Copenhagen. It was actually the first flight I booked while I was here. I arrived in Ataturk Airport at around 22:00 and of course had to wait in line at passport control, which takes forever. When I finally arrived, the man behind the desk informed me that I needed a visa. And so begins the trouble. So I left the line, ventured to the Visa desk and they required payment in cash. Wandering the airport, I finally found an E-Visa machine that took my card to pay for the Visa. The passport control line was even longer than before and I eventually made it into the city. I wanted to put on some music on my headphones, but I decided to leave them out to gather in some of the language. Turkish was beautiful, and I was trying to pick up whatever I could while I was there.

More trouble begins as I got off the train and attempted to transfer to the metro. It turns out that metro stops running around midnight and I was there too late. So that mean's I had to walk across the entire city to get to my hostel. I hoofed it to the hostel through dead silent city streets. I walked through the markets ther would be filled with people and voices the next morning, but at night they were just completely still. Except for this one damn cat. That thing could groan louder than any fire alarm I have ever heard. I decided to avoid that street, and continue on my way. By the time I reached my destination, I could not find my hostel. It turns out that the address given on Google Maps was wrong. Very wrong. So I (rather rudely) went to another hostel and asked directions to my own hostel. The man at the registration desk said I should have stayed with them. He was probably right. I walked several blocks to the right hostel and knocked on the door and rang the bell. No answer. For 15 minutes. They were closed, and my phone did not work outside Denmark. So I gave up, walked around the corner, bought the nearest hotel room and passed out.

This picture was taken on the Galata Bridge looking back on where I had just come from, on my way to the hostel that night.

The next day was filled with walking, mosques, and markets. Those were the big things in Istanbul, really. That and slums. There were a lot of poor neighborhoods in Istanbul. In fact, most of Istanbul consisted of poor neighborhoods that were scattered with the occasional market or mosque. That is the main reason I was not encaptivated by the city. To get from place to place you would be walking from very poor to very rich tourist neighborhoods and nothing in between.

Yet, the individual sights in Istanbul were spectacular. First were the mosques. The Aya Sofya was a spectacle and could not be missed. They were restoring it on the inside, but you could still see the masterpiece within. While I was walking around I heard one friend say to another "This place is where your religion meets mine." I thought it was quite fitting for the history of Istanbul, bridging Europe and the Middle East.

Another beautiful mosque I got to see was the Blue Mosque. I got to walk around the courtyard, but unfortunately it was prayer time and I was not allowed inside to wander at the time I got there. I could have waited, but there were plenty of other things to see that day. I somewhat regret not getting in there, but it is too late for that now. Still, the architecture is absolutely beautiful and so detailed. Stunning.

I spent a lot of time in the Grand Bazaar (and also plenty of other markets around Istanbul, including the Spice Market). This was mostly because I got lost in there... I still loved every second of it! It is filled with passages and passages of stores and shopowners trying to sell just about the same things. I haggled for some items and got some gifts for back home. The entire haggling game is just so ridiculous. They know, and I know, and everyone knows that the seller will be making a profit. A large profit. It just depends on how much the buyer is willing to spend. You get a scarf for 60 Lira and it costs 5 Lira to make. There is really not much different in the grand scheme of things.

Then I did a lot of walking. A ton. I walked from the Grand Bazaar up to the Eyup Sultan Mosque in the northern part of the city. I got lost every now and then through the winding streets, but I took in the atmosphere. There were plenty of mosques that broke the skyline of the city, and were quite often the tallest buildings in the area (specifically the Minarets at each mosque). You could look at the skyline and pick out every major mosque. Some were the just the size of a small house, and others were as grand as a palace, but they were all magnificent. I walked up to the Chora Church on the northern end of the city and walked alongside the outer wall of the old city. It was actually quite humbling. You can imagine yourself standing at one of these gates and looking up at the immense wall before you and it just communicates the power that this city once held.

And so I finally reached the Eyup Sultan mosque. I got to go inside this one and it was very different form any space of worship I have seen before. I don't know why I didn't expect it, but there was no seating. Churches and Temples all have seats for worshippers, but the mosque did not. It was just a carpeted space where you can come in to pray as you please. There was a sense of openness in the mosque that was welcoming, and unconfining due to the lack of seating. It left you unrestricted. So I chose a particularly nice pillar to sit by in the back and just watched. Every religion has their prayer rituals and just taking a step back to watch and absorb the experience is not something you usually do. Try it out sometime. Go to mass/services/prayer and just watch everyone.

I trekked all the way back home, catching the sunset out in the west. I grabbed dinner out in the market and had a drink of the Turkish raki while I was in town. I stayed in that night and got to meet some nice travellers staying at the same hostel as me.

The next day I got a late start to the day because I covered most of what I wanted to see on Saturday. I finally got to see Taksim Square in the daylight (because the first time I saw it was the night I got in at 2:30). I walked from Taksim to the Dolmabahce Palace and back again to the Galata Tower. I got a tip from a fellow traveller at the hostel about a place I should visit before I left. I was planning on going to the Gulehane Park before I left, but she recommended an outdoor cafe that had a view over the river. So I set out over the Galata Bridge, but just had to sit to admire the view. The sun was shining and the air was fresh. I hadn't realized how much I missed the ocean, it made me miss SCUBA diving with my Dad. Maybe we can go again this summer. I got to the cafe at the edge of Gulehane Park, and I just took a seat. I was running low on money so I simply asked for a piece of cheese toast (which my friend said is her favorite thing to do in Istanbul). 30 minutes went by without cheese toast. I asked again. The man nodded to me and continued on. I decided to break out 'The Hobbit'and pick up from where I left off. Another 30 minutes goes by. I look up at the man. He realizes his mistake, and says it will be here soon. I continue to read... It has now been two hours with no cheese toast. Is it not simply a piece of cheese melted on toasted bread? I was perplexed. Yet, I had to get to a flight and I was done reading for the time being. It is a magical read and the fresh air really creates a great reading atmosphere. Honestly, one of the highlights of the city. As I left, I looked the man in the eyes and maintained that contact as I walked out of the gate. Looks like they just lost 3 Lira! err... about 1 USD...

I believe my favorite part of the city was at the very end of my trip. The Gulehane Park was not stunning, it was not a magnificent baroque garden, nor was it an Islamic garden. It was just a bright, sunny day, in a very light and whimsical garden. Children were playing and the water was flowing. It was a lovely break from the 'city' of Istanbul and a nice breath of fresh air after a long weekend. Then I took the metro and train to the airport to wait for my plane.

This water feature was very creative. A sprinkler-like cylinder rotated around the center of the statue and sprayed water in an arc over the stone book, as if turning the pages. Very clever and simple, one of my favorites.

I sat in the airport waiting for my flight and I happened to finish 'The Hobbit.' It was a beautiful end to a tale about magic and wandering. One part of the end seemed appealing to me: "The Tookish par was getting very tired, and the Baggins was daily getting stronger." Adventure made me weary, and it was time to fly back to my home in Copenhagen. I returned to my house and made a piece of cheese toast. It really wasn't that hard.