Turkey Travel-Log(ue) : Day 3

Our room, Hotel Lady Diana, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. 2:30 PM

Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York has Lady Liberty, London has the Tower Bridge – and Istanbul has the Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque, overlooking the Bosphorous - serene, beautiful, eternal.

The Blue Mosque is locally known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and gets its better-known name from the blue-and-white hand-made ceramic tiles (21,000 of them in total) which line the inside of the mosque. The tiles have more than fifty different tulip designs - the tulip is considered symbolize Allah because the Arabic letters in the word “Allah” are used to write the word “Lale” in the Ottoman alphabet, which means ‘tulip’ in Ottoman Turkish. 

 

The hand-made ceramic tiles (21,000 of them in total) in the inside of the Blue Mosque, which give it its name. The tiles have more than fifty different tulip designs - the tulip is considered symbolize Allah because the Arabic letters in the word “Allah” are used to write the word “Lale” in the Ottoman alphabet. “Lale” is the Ottoman Turkish equivalent of tulip.

Built between 1609 to 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I, it is still in regular use for prayers - on Fridays the mosque is closed to tourists during namaaz times.

When it was built, its six minarets created a controversy, since four minarets were the common maximum, and exceeding that was seen as a challenge to the Grand Mosque at Mecca. So, Ahmed I sponsored the addition of  an extra minaret to the Masjid al-Haram, (Grand Mosque) in Mecca to settle the issue.

The Blue Mosque with its 6 minarets

The inside of the mosque is huge, with high domed ceilings decorated with ornate and graceful mosaics of tiles which look lacy and delicate when viewed from down below. The mosque also has tall panels of vividly coloured stained glass and woven carpets on the vast floor that echo the tulip design of the tiles on the walls. Swooping circular chandeliers hanging low from the ceiling hold thousands of glass lamps (now electric, but used to old candles in their heyday).

Within 5 minutes walking distance from the Blue Mosque is the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish). The Hagia Sophia (meaning Holy Wisdom) was, at different times, a Greek Patrirchal cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral and a mosque and is now a museum. 

A very telling mural over one of the arched doorways of the main hall of the church/mosque tells the origin of the monument – it shows King Constantine gifting a model of the city of Constantinople (now Istanbul) and King Justinian I gifting a model of the Hagia Sophia (conspicuously without the trademark-Islamic minarets which now decorate it) to the Virgin Mary with the Child Christ on her lap. The minarets were added later, when the cathedral was converted into a mosque (in 1453). 

King Justinian I and King Constantineoffering the Hagia Sophia and the city of Constantinople respectively, to the Virgin Mary with the Child Christ

Notice the model of the Hagia Sophia that King Justinian I is holding is without any minarets

  At the same time, other Islamic symbols were placed in the catherdral, like the four large medallions hanging in the nave bearing the names of Muhammad and Islam's first caliphs.

This photo shows 2 of the 4 Islamic medallions that were added when the cathedral was converted into a mosque

The gigantic mosaics all over the church depicting angels, saints, Christ etc were covered over by plaster since Islam doesn’t believe in praying to any idol or picture. However, some of these mosaics/murals were uncovered during the restoration of the monument in 1930. Some of themosaics still remain covered in plaster, a living proof of the tumultuous identity reinventions that this timeless monument has withstood. 

Our room, Hotel Lady Diana, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. 7:00 PM

After a morning gawking at Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and of haggling over trinkets for folks back home in the shopping area near the Grand Bazaar, we returned to our hotel by 1 o'clock. After lunch and playing Gardens of Time on Dad’s iPad, I felt compelled to get out of the warm cozy room and do SOME exploring on my own. The cold weather had meant that I hadn't really explored Istanbul much, except for my leisurely exploration of the Hippodrome and my getting well acquainted with the grocery next to our hotel. Remembering my lofty plans of exploring this vibrant, bustling city and not returning to the hotel till late, and felt ashamed of my homebody-ness. Even though it was forced upon me by the rain and bitingly cold wind. But yesterday was dry and cold, with occasional appearances of the sun, so I really had no excuse to be holed up in the albeit warm and comfortable hotel room.

First stop- a kofte restaurant recommended by an Istanbul food blog called Istanbul Eats, that was within walking distance of our hotel. 

Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi, recommended by Istanbul Eats for having some of the city's best Kofte

Inside Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi

The menu at Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi

Kofte means meatballs, and for the first time in my life, I knowingly had beef. Gulp. 

Toothsome, with a slightly bouncy texture, the meatballs (shaped like rectangles, not spheres) were glistening with their own fat which had melted during their cooking over the grill. Served with pickled green chillies and buns of crusty bread, they made a great sandwich. Washed down with cold Ayran, of course. :)

 

Kofte Sandwich!

 Next, I ambled around the charming bustling neighbourhood of our hotel, till I chanced upon a little cabin which was the tourist help centre manned by a handsome policeman. I asked for directions (I had planned to walk) to the Galata bridge, but the policeman recommended that I take the tram. The tram stop was just across the road, and I quickly walked to it, marvelling at the modern tram tracks laid down in the centre of the old cobblestone street! 

The trams in Istanbul are superb - silent, sleek and easy to use, even for a language-challenged foreigner. :) The best part is, the tram rails are laid down right in the middle of the narrow cobblestone streets of the Old City and at times, the tram passes so close to the shops on either side, you feel you are driving through people's front yards and shops and homes! :) A wonderful blend of old and new!

Inside the tram from Sultanahmet to Karakoy

I took the tram to Karakoy station at the other end of the Galata Bridge, and then walked back across- at times over the bridge, and at times, under it – there is a walkway under the bridge as well, level with the water of the Golden Horn. 

Fishing off the Galata Bridge - this bridge spans the Golden Horn. The Golden Horn is a scimitar-shaped estuary that joins the Bosphorus just at the point where that strait enters the Sea of Marmara, forming the natural harbor that has sheltered Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and other ships for thousands of years.

Unfortunately, it was too late for the famous fried fish sandwich from the fish restaurants under the bridge - it was nearly 4:00 PM and all the restaurants were closed. But there were some truly stunning views of Istanbul! Rising above dark green waters of the Golden Horn, the city, with its domes and spires and minarets looked like an enchanted apparition, untouched by Time…

A view of Istanbul's Old City from the Galata Bridge

Walking across the historic bridge, I saw the signboard of the famous Hamdi restaurant on the opposite shore, so made a beeline towards it.. A smiling suited-booted gent dispatched me to the top floor where the restaurant proper was located (the ground floor is the Hamdi sweetshop, and I am assuming the floors in between are their kitchens and bakery)  The restaurant is housed in a picturesque, enclosed terrace overlooking the Golden Horn, and gives amazing views of the Golden Horn, the Galata Bridge, the New Mosque and all the hustle and bustle of the paved courtyard outside the neighbouring Spice Bazaar. 

Inside the Hamdi restaurant

The view from the terrace of the Hamdi Restaurant - the New Mosque, the Galata Bridge and the scores of small shops - charcuteries, groceries, fruit and flower shops- in the paved courtyard next to the Spice Bazaar

Even at the odd hour (it was 4:30 PM or thereabouts), the restaurant was crowded with patrons enjoying a late lunch, or making an early start to the evening, with a few rounds of raki, the anise/fennel-scented alcoholic drink loved by Turkish.

Sampled the lahocum (Turkish pizza -very thin, crispy base spread with tomato paste, minced meat, garlic and parsley), the lentil soup (delicious, especially with a squeeze of lemon -giant, bright yellow lemon wedge) and some shish tavuk (grilled chicken kebabs, serviced with Turkish bread (roomali roti types) tomato rice and fresh salad). 

Lahocum

Lentil Soup

Shish Tavuk

 

Obviously, I couldn't eat all of this, so after taking a bite of the chicken (wrapped with salad in the roomali roti) -the chicken was tender, but kind of bland, by the way- I asked the waiters to pack it up, along with Sobiyet and Kunefe (Turkish mithai) for the parents.

Kunefe (left) and Sobiyet (right) - both feature crisp phyllo pastry, syrup, and have crushed pistachios as a garnish. Kunefe is stuffed with a creamy unsalted cheese, while Sobiyet is filled with thickened cream.

 A quick walk to the Spice Market or Egyptian Bazaar that we'd visited yesterday for some additional shopping, and then a tram ride back home....thus ended my day out in Istanbul!