Bob and Ann in Turkey 2008

  • April 14 - Our First Full Day in Instanbul

    Please visit April 14 slideshow


    After sleeping for 11 hours, thanks to Tylenol PM, we went up to our The Best Western Obelisk's top-floor terrace for a bountiful Turkish breakfast spread from eggs and cold cuts to olives, yogurt with several kinds of honey and a bread board filled with several kinds of bread. We ate at a table with a panoramic view of the city and the Bosphorus. The skies were cloudy and the temperature was fairly cool. It eventually warmed up a little during the day, but it was breezy and we never saw the sun.



    Mausoleum of Suleyman the Magnificent

    We then set out to take Rick Steves' Old Town Back Street walk. Following the instructions for the walk we first stopped at the cemetary and mausoleum of Sultan Mahmut II. Then we went past Çemberlitas, the Burned Column. It was covered with scaffolding so we didn't have a good look at it. Continuing on, we rushed through the Grand Bazaar because we were coming back later on our tour. We strolled through the Beyazit district through an outdoor textile market and then along the wall of Istanbul's University's main campus. We finally arrived at the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent . It was being renovated and most of the rooms in the mosque were closed but we were able to enter the main Mosque for a peek at one hall of the enormous interior. It was not very exciting, but we found Suleyman's Mausoleum in the Cemetery to be a small gem.



    Rüstem Pasa Mosque

    After the Suleyman visit, we walked through Uzun Çarsi which is another market street that becomes a narrow alley. Near the end of the alley, we visited Rüstem Pasa Mosque. This mosque stands on an elevated platform supported by vaults that house shops. It is an oasis of quiet among the hustling street below.


    Leaving the mosque, we turned up Hasircilar Alley - a real-life market street selling everything from hunting rifles to groceries to coffee and tea to spices, dried fruits, nuts and sweets. Because it was lunch time, we could not miss the NAMLI SARKÜTERI deli where Bob ordered a kumru - a cholesterol packed sandwich with spicy sausages, salami, and smoked cow's tongue - and Ann chose some Middle Eastern fare from the salad counter. These were consumed on the open plaza facing the the Galata Bridge. Our bench was shared with tourists and amiable burka clad women. So far our people experiences have been quite positive. Even the rug merchant/hawkers are polite, despite their creative persistence.


    Turkey Pics
    Galata Bridge

    Turkey Pics
    Ann and Rick Steves' Friend

    We took our own version of the Rick Steves Golden Horn walk, crossing the Galata Bridge back and forth. We continued on and walked to the dilapidated Sirkeci Train Station where the Orient Express terminated. Some of the stained glass windows survived and hinted at the glories of the 1880s building.


    We then strolled back to the hotel passing by more rug merchants and one shop where "auntie" was weaving a rug, a great come-on for tourists. After buying some bottled water (you shouldn't drink tap water here) we went to our room and rested our feet for awhile (lots of cobblestones paving the streets).


    At 4:00, we met our tour group in the hotel's roof-top terrace for introductions and a tour briefing. Our guide, Sidar, explained how the tour will work and talked about the logistics. Then each person introduced him(her)self. Most of the group is from California. This is the first RS tour that we have been on where the Washington people have been outnumbered.


    Turkey Pics
    The Blue Mosque


    Panning Inside the Blue Mosque

    After the meeting was finished, we left the hotel and walked two blocks to the Blue Mosque . This huge building was built in the 17th century. The inside is decorated by predominately blue tiles and blue frescos. It is a Islam-practicing mosque, so we had to wait until prayers were over to take off our shoes and enter. Women were asked to cover their hair and bare skin, but they were not required to do so. Sidar gave us a good overview of the mosque and the Muslim traditions in Turkey.


    Dinner was next. We ate at a garden restaurant in the Yesil Ev (Green House) Hotel . We had two sets of appetizers. One was cheese and spinach rolls similar to egg rolls. The other was dolma. The appetizers were followed by sweets ( dessert) - baklava, etc. We also tasted a licorice-flavored liquor called raki.


    Back at the hotel we were asleep by 9:00.


    The map of our route is below. To see it in Google Earth, follow this link.