After another delightful breakfast and Turkish coffee at the hotel, we went to the front desk and inquired about touring the Chora church (and museum). To our dismay, public transportation would take three hours to get to there, and traveling that long wasn't worth the round-trip. We quickly honed our schedule to remain in closer proximity and planned to visit the Asian side - knowing the city's main attractions are predominantly in Europe.
Getting in line at Galata Tower
Streets of Karaköy
Our day started off on the wrong foot, we thought it would be a good idea to cut through the Grand Bazaar en route to the Galata Tower, however, the doors were closed. Sadly, a return to the Bazaar would not happen because it is closed on Sundays - a minor detail we seemed to have overlooked (we defer to to displacing the blame, damn you Rick Steves!!!). Having veered so far off course, we passed Istanbul University and were walking through the Faith district, an unnecessary 20-30 minute detour. At this point, taking public transit to the tower appeared to be the best option.
Looking up
View of Hagia Sofia (left) and Blue Mosque (right)
Hagia Sofia
The tram brought us across the Galata Bridge (Galata Köprüsü) and we exited the Karaköy stop. From the station, we walked several blocks up a series of hills - a presumed precursor to our ascent of the Galata Tower. Luckily, after purchasing tickets, we noticed the chained-off stairwell - and our eyes fixated on a welcomed technological advancement, two elevators to do the bulk of the legwork. With a quick climb to the top-floor, there was only one set of stairs to the restaurant which lead to the walkway around the tower - a narrow passage unfit for two-way traffic. However, there was an illogical amount of visitors who failed to understand the obvious unidirectional traffic arrow. Maybe they thought the sign a mere suggestion, nonetheless, an intellectual ineptitude inconveniencing the directionally inclined. Despite feeling like salmon swimming upstream, the panoramic views from Galata Tower are easily the best of Istanbul (especially overlooking the Golden Horn waterway of the Bosphorous). The weather was clear enough for us to see the Asian side of the city, but we preferred a more terrestrial encounter.
Panoramic of the Golden Horn
Returning to the bridge, we walked across and observed the hundreds of fisherman who lined the railings on each side. Once across, we had to hold our breath as we passed through the pervasive stench of post-mortem piscine. We boarded a local ferry to Kadiköy, and twenty minutes later - we arrived in Asia. Knowing there isn't much to see on the Asian side of Istanbul, our visit was mainly to have traveled to another continent and forage for lunch. Following a transient venture of Kadiköy, we boarded the boat and sailed back to Europe. Julie sat inside the cabin while I watched locals toss bread to the trailing seagulls from the stern (briefly accompanied by two Bosphorous dolphins making chase).
Galata Bridge fisherman
Waiting for fish
We arrived on land and entered the Spice Market for some additional purchases. The previous day we bought 500 grams of black tea for €8 (~20 TL). I thought it would be a good idea to buy another variety (varie-tea...?) as we have enjoyed several glasses of the delicacy while in Istanbul. Originally, I had my sights on apple tea, but inadvertently changed my mind to the jasmine pearls at the last minute - a foolish and fiscally detrimental decision. I mindlessly asked for the amount before looking at the price/kilogram, but the tea was already vacuum-sealed and in my hand. We owed 150 TL, or roughly €30 - a mental-lapse equal to Julie's ghastly rock throwing abilities. When exiting the Spice Market, we stumbled into a large street market - a pleasant surprise to counter our previous disappointment with the Grand Bazaar's closure.
Docking
Arrived in Asia
Departing
Galata Tower seen from Golden Horn waterway
Unlike the sights and scents of Istanbul's famous markets, the Sunday Street Market had a distinct and unusual sound - the cacophonous crack of the Taser. Despite the unpleasant sounds, nearly anything could be purchased. Name any item, and it could be found: leather jackets, tea sets, designer bags, headphones, jeans, flatware, suits, tabacco, toys, batons, umbrellas, sports equipment, alarm clocks, brass knuckles, toasters, paintings, and of course, Turkish delights. To our surprise, the most abundant of all street vendors were those selling socks. There must have been thirty individuals peddling socks throughout the market. I suppose they take the proverbial buyers "cold feet" quite literally.
Entering Spice Market
Excuse me, what is your most expensive tea? I'll take it!!!
After perusing the Sunday Market, we found ourselves at a peculiar time between lunch and dinner, and we had already seen all the attractions on our list. To bridge the gap we looked for one of the many traditional Turkish barbershops that had previously caught our attention (mainly the straight-razor shave). We headed to the Sultanahmet District and walked into Kuaför, a small, three-seat barbershop near our hotel. I have only seen my naked face a handful of times in the last six-years, half of which involved getting stitches after beer league hockey mishaps. My transformation from shabby to chic was as surprising as all the DNA paternity results on Maury - Julie immediately jumped out of her chair and ran backstage - she couldn't believe it was me. Once the shock dissipated, we concluded our evening with dinner at a restaurant near Kuaför. We ate by a warm fire on a cold night and discussed my poor (but really expensive) tea-buying decisions.
The German winter rolls on and we have spent the last week and a half counting the number of passing clouds - an indefatigable amount. Staring into the grey nebulous, I ponder if Geologists would consider Permacloud as a categorical biosphere. The sun's continuous hiding had us seeking adventure. We escaped to Istanbul on the Eurasian border, the land where cultures collide and a city of numerous name changes throughout history (They Might Be Giants explains below).
Flying Onur Air for the first and certainly last time, we arrived safely after a most unsatisfactory experience, but isn't worthy of a (well deserved) slanderous diatribe. Not even Christian Grey could find pleasure with Onur Air's flying torture apparatus despite his insatiable sadomasochistic appetite (hey-o, cultural reference joke). Fortunately, our hotel experience was the polar oppostie - a most pleasent stay at the World Heritage Hotel. Located in the old city, the Sultanahmet district was the perfect base for two days of sightseeing.
Hippodrome of Constantinople and Blue Mosque
Egyptian Obelisk
Area for ablution
Our first full-day started with a nice breakfast buffet, complete with the first indulgence of Turkish coffee. First up, the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia - whose proximity to our paramount location had us to our destination within minutes. Two blocks away, we found ourselves in the Hippodrome of Constantinople (now Sultanahmet Meydani or Sultan Ahmet Square), an area used to stage chariot races during the Byzantine Empire. The square is home to the Walled Obelisk, the remnants of the Serpentine Column, and an Egyptian Obelisk that was taken from a Temple in Luxor (~3,500 years old).
Sultanahmet Camii prayer area
Multiple domes of ceiling
and again
Wall adjacent Mihrab
Directly behind the Hippodrome monuments is Sultanahmet Camii, famously known as the Blue Mosque. The courtyard was sparsely scattered with tourists, but within moments we found the masses gathered in a line wrapped around the southeast facade alongside the area for ablution. When the time came, we removed our shoes and Julie covered her hair before taking step inside the mosque. While in Marrakech access to religious sites used for prayer was restricted to only followers of Islam. However, Turkey is more lenient with tourists and our first impression inside an Islamic holy site left a lasting impression. Exiting the Blue Mosque, we passed through Sultan Ahmet Park towards an attraction that is a historical microcosm of Istanbul.
German Fountain (Alman Cesmesi)
If we look photoshoped, we are. Our photographer didn't include the whole mosque in the other picture
Hagia Sofia seen from Sultan Ahmet Park
The Byzantine structure was originally constructed for Eastern Orthodox observance, briefly used for Roman Catholic worship, and later rebuilt as an Imperial Mosque - the Hagia Sofia still holds vestiges of the past and is now a museum. The Mihrab is situated where the altar once stood, under a mosaic of the Virgin Mary with child. Recently, uncovered under the plaster of the domed ceiling revealed the faces of angels once covered by the Ottomans. On the lower level, an Omphalion was discovered after the removal of the mosque's carpeting - an area used for the coronation of Byzantine emperors. The juxtaposition of Christian relics and Islamic medallions on the upper floor create a wondrous perspective of the overlapping influences of the respective faiths.
Christ Pantocrator mosaic tile
Mihrab and area of old altar
Upper level chandler and Islamic medallion
As we left the museum we were greeted with the afternoon call to prayer, meticulously coordinated with echoes of alternating verses between the minarets of Sultanahmet Camii and Hagia Sofia. We crossed the street and got in line for the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici). The short wait had us inside within ten minutes, but we didn't make it past the tourist trap at the bottom of the stairs. At the base of the stairwell was one of the many areas in the city where visitors could take a costumed Sultan and Sultaness picture. I believe Julie was swayed as soon as she saw the €5 price for a framed picture, a harmless and slightly hilarious gimmick. The process would have been faster had the couple in front of us not reviewed their pictures like wedding prints - taking ten minutes to go over the same three pictures. Eventually, we toured the cistern, the largest in Istanbul and famous for the two Medusa head columns whose origins remain unknown. During the height of usage in the Byzantine Era, water levels nearly reached the ~10 meter high ceiling. Progressing down the historical timeline and heading north, our next stop was an Ottoman landmark, Topkapi Palace.
Basilica Cistern
Sideways Medusa head
Other Medusa head
James Bond was here in "From Russia with Love"
The largest palace in Istanbul, Topkapi Sarayi Müzesi was the former seat of Sultans during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. Now a museum, the grounds have numerous exhibits of jewels, weapons, thrones, and various decor of the epoch. The most impressive piece of the collection, an 86-carat diamond (Spoonmaker's diamond), the fourth largest in the world - slightly larger than Julie's ring (well, many times over). Views from the upper terrace on the northeast side are incredible, specifically the area where Sultans would break their fast after Ramadan - an area overlooking the Bosphorous.
Topkapi Palace entrance
Near upper terrace
Fountain
Following our visit to Topkapi, we made our way to Yeni Cami, the New Mosque. As beautiful as the Blue Mosque, yet, far less crowded with tourist. In fact, the number visitors was nearly equal to the individuals praying. Exiting the south side of the mosque, we found ourselves at the entrance of the Spice Market (Misir Carsisi). The myriad vendors could have been overwhelming had we not experienced a similar market in Marrakech, however, this time we didn't get coerced into purchasing any miracle cold sore elixir spices. Continuing in the same direction, we eventually reached the famous Grand Bazaar. We purchased some souvenirs and made our way to dinner before calling an end to a long first day in the majestic city.
