Istanbul: A Trip to Eurasia

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.

Ceiling of Yeni Cami

Facing the Mihrab

Ablution area outside New Mosque

Praying

Grand Bazaar

Spice Market