Istanbul

This blog update is LONG overdue.  I was in Turkey almost three months ago and I am finally getting around to blogging about it (they really need to come up with a face-palm emoticon). 

Turkey is unlike any country I have ever been to.  The juxtaposition between the different cities I was in was incredible, but the constant was that there were old things EVERYWHERE.  Literally. You couldn't walk five feet down the road in any city/town/village/weird bus stop gas station without seeing ancient greco-roman ruins or the old remains of an Ottoman stronghold.

I would go back to Turkey tomorrow if it meant I could explore more of the country, eat more lentil soup, and hear the call to prayer again.  I was able to see much of the country in the 3 weeks that I was there but still much remains unseen.  Lentil soup became a staple for me while in Turkey, with every restaurant we went to serving it better and better than the last.  The call to prayer was startling at first, but steadily became something you didn't even notice through out the day.  While laying in bed at night it was a beautiful way to calm yourself from the excitement of a day of exploring and experiencing Turkish life.

These photos are just from Istanbul, since I was a little trigger happy and took 2,700+ photos (not including the ones I took on my mums iPad) in the three weeks I was there.

All these shots are taken either with my iPhone 5S or my Nikon CoolPix L620

Turkish Airlines does a lovely Comfort Class.  Turkish Airlines has a direct flight from Toronto to Istanbul, which made it an easy pick.  For a flight that is 9-10 hours it is most definitely worth spending a little extra money for all the extras you get with premium.  From the express boarding, the specialized meals, abnormal amount of leg room, and the personal kits (toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, brush, eye mask etc, it really does make a world of difference.

Sean Connery and tea, two of my favourite things.  

Grab a cup...this post is a long one.

This is the New Mosque...which was built 350 years ago.

I think its time to change the name lol

My mum and I stumbled upon the Spice Market by accident one night when we were exploring on our own.  

Mum and I were on our own in Istanbul for 4 days before meeting up with the group that we toured with.  We hired a personal tour guide for one of the days to take us to the different spots that we wouldn't be going to with the group.  She spent the entire day with us and she was chock full of information.  She took us to a bunch of smaller tourist spots around the city, as well as the famed Topkapi Palace.

Reminds me of the Secret Garden

Rose Gardens in the Topkapi Palace

See that lady sitting by the fountain on the left?  

I bet she didn't know thats where the Ottomans beheaded people 

Such a peaceful future, but an extremely bloody past.

Selfie from the top of Galata Tower.

It was once used to guard and control the northern end of the Golden Horn,

now it is a tourist destination with a restaurant, cafe, and nightclub in it.

The entry way to the Hagia Sophia

I studied the Hagia Sophia in Art History in highschool  

It was incredible to see it in real life, 

and see the juxtaposition between Christian and Muslim influences.

The constant state of the Hagia Sophia

There are two mosaics of this same piece, one inside the museum on the upper level, and a second in what was once the southern vestibule entry way.  The southern vestibule is now the exit from the Hagia Sophia and the mosaic can be viewed through a mirror as you leave the building.  The mosaics portray Constantine, Emperor Justinian, the Virgin Mary, and the Infant Saviour. Constantine is seen presenting his namesake city, and Emperor Justinian is presenting the St. Sophia.  You can read more about it here.

Second level mosaic

Mosaic in the southern vestibule, 

viewed through the mirror

Walking through the doors of the 

Hagia Sophia towards the Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque was absolutely STUNNING (see what I did there mum? :P)

From the outside in, it was one of the most breathtaking buildings I have seen in a long time.

Very rarely do you see mosques with six minarets, our guide T explained that this was done so that the Blue Mosque would be the grandest mosque in the entire world, even outdoing the mosques in Mecca and Medina.  That is, until more minarets were added to the Holy Mosque in Mecca.

Not exactly sure what is going on in this picture...

between the kid and my face, it's a priceless pic

FYI…Walmart moccasins are great for traveling

An interesting little tidbit that I remembered from our guide about the mosque, is that not all of the tiles inside the mosque are a true azure blue.  The mosque was getting so exorbitantly expensive to tile that the builders had to use tiles that were painted with a cheaper blue paint, and thus now resulting in many teal, green, and faded blue coloured tiles from the years of exposure to the elements.

It was times like this where I wished my heart out that I had fancy pants DSLR camera

I was waiting for lightening to strike in the sky above the minarets, but alas, 

no such luck

Dogs and cats were just as abundant as the ruins

Many shop owners feed and water the cats because they are very effective mouse/rat catchers

I didn't see a single mouse or rat the entire time I was in Turkey

The underground cistern was incredible, although very dark (for obvious reasons).  This cistern had been used for thousands of years, over time filling with sludge, mud, and dirt and was slowly forgotten about.  It was discovered once again when people realized that there was something much more than a large underground water source beneath them when they lowered their buckets through holes in the floors of their homes and brought up fish, as well as water.

Again, wishing I had a better camera

Medusa at the base of two columns inside the cistern 

No one is sure why they are there

Mum and I

After visiting the Basilica Cistern, the Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque in the morning, we went a smaller mosque a few blocks away known as the Little Hagia Sophia.  Upon entering, we discovered we were just about the only ones in the mosque.  Our guide T has the most beautiful voice, I got chills while I sat in the mosque as he sang to us.

The day we were supposed to visit the Dolmabahce Palace there was a demonstration in Taksim Square, (in commemoration of the riots last year) which is on the same side of Istanbul as the palace.  We decided against going to the palace for security reasons (apparently there was a lot of arrests and it got much chaotic than anticipated).  

Instead, we viewed it from the Bosphorus

For a cool $15,000+ a night, 

you too can sleep in the sultans bedroom ;)

All appropriate details about the Sultan Suite at the Ciragan Palace can be found here

(btw...if you go, please take me with you...please)

Instead of going to the Dolmabahce Palace, we instead went to what is commonly known as the Little Dolmabahce Palace, or in its proper name the Beylerbeyi Palace.  There are private guided tours only, with absolutely NO photos allowed.  And by no photos, I mean these guys are stricter than the Swiss guards in the Sistine Chapel.  They also give you these hilarious blue plastic baggies to wear on the soles of your shoes so you don't ruin the original carpets.  

For a little point and shoot, 

the shots I have of roses are quite detailed and clear

The same day we went to the Little Dolmabahce Palace, we also went to the Grand Bazaar.  One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world...not to mention the most expensive as well!  We went early in the morning, just as the shops were opening because the bazaar gets insanely busy as the day goes on.  The Grand Bazaar attracts up to 400,000 visitors EACH DAY...so understandably, madness ensues from about 10:30am onwards.  I didn't buy anything in the Bazaar because I knew I had another 3 weeks of traveling to do and I didn't want to lug stuff all around the country, so I just took hundreds of photos instead.

Never heard of wegetables or soup pizza...

good old Google Translate

the detail on the pottery and earthenware is incredible

At the end of our Bosphorus Cruise we were sailing back and I was able to snap this photo of the Turkish flag.  I think this photo clearly captures the pride, joy, and respect that the Turkish people take in their history and in their country.

This was the only photo I was able to take inside the Beylerbeyi Palace, and I had to get permission by our personal castle guide.  The only reason I was allowed to take this was because it was a photo of a photo, and I was under strict supervision.  I thought that this too was an excellent representation of the Turkish way of life.  

Turkish hospitality is alive and well in Istanbul though.  I left my iPhone in the bathroom in the Istanbul International Airport and didn't realize until almost two hours later!  I believed it lost for good, until I got a call at the hotel saying that they had found my phone.  A passenger had turned it in to lost and found!!!  I don't doubt that had I left my practically brand new iPhone in any other international airport bathroom I would have never seen it again.  The Neorion Hotel staff were instrumental in helping me file a police report at the lost and found.  I am eternally grateful to them.