Bryan Fuhr and I were in Istanbul. Jotting down experiences & places before I forget them:
26 Thursday — Bryan and I walked to Ortakoy Pier until we could check into our room. Nap. Cab to Taskim Square to walk along Isikai Cardessi, the main pedestrian shopping street. (more Flatbush than Champs Elysées) Western chain stores. Big crowds. Had rooftop drinks at 360, a modern bar/restaurant in the Masir Apartments followed by dinner at Boncak in the little streets nearby. Good local, inexpensive place, seafood. "Full of cheer" remembers BJF.
27 Friday — Started with breakfast at the hotel before taxi to hunt for the 15th Century Ahrida Synagogue in Balat, the Jewish quarter. We had secured permission to attend in advance and a had a 1030a appt. The taxi driver had no idea where it was or what it was and was about to drop us at a Greek Orthodox Church until we realized that the cross is probably not the right symbol on the door. Took another 20 min. before we saw the Hebrew letters. There was no answer at the gate to the synagogue complex but a man found us there and went to get the woman with the key. She arrived with four dogs, very pleasant but odd. It wasn't a tour but an self-serve appointment. She double-checked our identity and showed us in, pointing us to the sanctuary. "No photos," they both reminded us. The sanctuary was imacculately restored with benches and a raised podium, a Sephardic tradition. Bryan says it was like being in Noah's Arc, which is an apt description in Turkey, especially considering the Sephardic design can connote resembling the boats used to transport them there from Spain and North Africa. We stayed just a short while, and on the way out asked if we could make a donation. She realized I meant Tzedakah and went and got the Tzedakah box. Glad we set this up in advance since it was an unusual and meaningful detour.
Asked our next taxi driver to go to the Grand Bazaar. "Gate 1" we said, just like the concierge recommended. The bazaar was exciting and nicer than I expected. Only a few doors in, we found ourselves in a carpet store (SLRD predicted "You'll buy a rug even if you don't mean to") and, then, there we were in their larger gallery around the corner having Turkish coffee and traditional tea. Omar, Kurdish, from southeast Turkey introduced himself, and explained the tradition of making rugs. We learned a lot about what to look for in terms of stitching, color, the use of carpet (introduced to hurt the animals less whose back it was draped across). It was fun and not much pressure though we realized we would buy something which was fine. The stories and knowledge were worth it, anyway, plus his line about dowry and finding a wife: "First, look at the mother; then get the daughter." We decided on a rather unusual inexpensive rug for our foyer -- minimalist, using goat hair and black sheep ink. We left happy and with it in a smart, portable tote.
At some point, we realized we had been in the Arasta Bazaar, not the famous Grand Bazaar. We were embarrassed, of course, until we read in one of the books that this was the alternative bazaar for those overwhelmed by the Grand one. Now we felt like insiders. The afternoon was wandering the rest of Eminonu and the old city, finding the real Grand Bazaar (where I shot a Short Take - will be up soon; Youtube is blocked here), the Spice Market (less aromatic and impressive than we expected, though we did arrive during prayer and lunch hour when things got quiet) where I tasted my first non-allergic Turkish Delight candies.
28 Saturday — Started the morning with a 20-minute ferry ride from right next to our hotel to the Asian Side to Kadikoy. It was a commuter ferry so it was fun. Bryan wouldn't let me sing "Let the River Run" but we did get great city views and perspective about the city's relationship to water. Passing the Selimiey Barracks where Florence Nightengale lived and worked, we spent only a few minutes in Asia but went to the old Haydarpasa Railway Station where the Orient Express used to pick up service. There, we got a ferry back to Eminonu, where we climbed up to the Sultanahmet and visited the Haghia Sophia, Justinanian era structure which was later turned into a mosque. The church is stunning and beautiful and the book says for over a thousand years, it was the largest enclosed structure in the world. Afterwards, we crossed the street to the Yerebatan Cistern (underground cistern), which is a stunning marvel. You can wander among the underground water system and at the far end, see two unusual Medusa sculptures, one upside down and one on its side.
Spent a little more time wandering the Sultanahmet, sitting in the park, visiting the other Four Seasons Hotel (good bathroom spot) and then wandered back down the hill and crossed the Galata Bridge. I thought this famous crossing of Golden Horn would be more significant but it was kinda gross and just crowded with fisherman. We walked up the edge of the other side to the Istanbul Modern where we stopped for lunch in the nice bistro. Explored the museum a tiny bit but then cabbed back to the hotel for R&R before going out again in Beyoglu for dinner to Changa.
29 Sunday — Bryan and I started the day with an architectural tour of mosques via Context Tours (same amazing travel tour we used in Rome). Also on the tour was the wife of a colleague who's also a fan of this tour company. The first was 16th Century Sehzade Camii (Prince's Mosque), then the dramatic and enormous Suleymaniye Camii, built just 10 years later, then down the hill to the 17th Century Yeni Camii (New Mosque), which has the distinction of having been built by a woman (a Sultan's mom, if I remember correctly). Max, our guide, made special note of the increased use and different use of tile throughout the mosques.
Walked across the Galata Bridge, taking the funicular up the hill to shopping street Isiklal Cadessi again where we hunted for the cool little cafe, Kafe Aya (photo left by Bryan Fuhr), Max had recommended to us for lunch. It's on a little side alley right off Yenacarsi Cadessi, off the main drag of Isiklal Cadessi. "Take a right at the ugly monument at the intersection of Isiklal and Yenacarsi Cadessi and a quick right at the bookstore" were Max's directions.
Took a taxi back to the hotel and ended up in one of those situations everyone talks about but now we've experienced first hand. the driver took a very long route back (via the beltway) to our hotel, resulting in a fare about triple it should be. When we were far north of the Bosphorus Bridge, it was blatantly obvious to us. We called him on it but it was a challenge with the language barrier. We got back to the hotel and told the valet about it to help us negotiate out of it. We explained what happened and offered what the fare should be from the Taskim area and got him to take it.
Bryan's headed to the Hamam and oh, no, work starts now.
