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!

Turkey Travel-Log(ue) : Day 2

Our room, Hotel Lady Diana, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. 2:00 PM

The day began bright and early - we had to be ready by 8:00 AM for our pick-up for the half-day city tour, i.e.the Bosphorpus cruise and the Spice Market. Bathed and dressed (more like wrapped up in scarves and shawls and mufflers!), we made our way to the top-floor breakfast room of our hotel……to walk into a GORGEOUS room, with HUGE windows all along 3 walls, polished wooden floor, sparkling chandeliers, cheery red tablecloths and the piece de resistance – an absolutely stunning panoramic view of the Blue Mosque overlooking the Bosphorous.

The rooftop breakfast room at our hotel - on clear days (unlike this one!) you get a stunning view of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia overlooking the Bosphorous...picture-perfect.

The morning was cold and gray, so the warm cheerful room, and the picture-perfect view lifted our spirits like nothing else could. Of course, the more than generous breakfast spread helped, too. :)

 

The open terrace next to the breakfast room had an even more spectacular view – of BOTH the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish) facing each other along the banks of the Bosphorous.

The Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish) next to each other along the banks of the Bosphorous - clicked from the terrace of our hotel

The first stop for the day was the Spice Market, or Egyptian Bazaar, located on the banks of the Golden Horn. The Golden Horn is the 7.5 km long historic estuary (inlet) of  the Bosphorous which forms the sheltered natural harbour that made Istanbul – from the time it was Constantinople  - an important port for Roman, Greek, Byzantine and Ottoman ships.

The Spice Market is a sprawling covered market with a high vaulted ceiling from which old-world lamps give off a golden glow. Straight from the Arabian Nights! Stores on both sides of the main corridor sell a plethora of tourist attractions – spices, herbal teas, porcelain bowls, glass-studded lamps, candied fruit, caviar, ‘silk’ scarves and stoles, brass artefacts, and of course tray upon tray overflowing with cubes of Turkish delight. It is very touristy, but charming nevertheless!

Sun-dried and candied fruit at the Spice Bazaar, also called Egyptian Market

Turkish Delight - in rose, pineapple, pistachio flavours

 

'Love tea', anyone? :)

Chai is served all day, everywhere in Turkey - served in glasses like these. The Turkish word is for tea is Cay, which is pronounced same as in Hindi - Chai

Porcelain bowls

Surprisingly, caviar featured heavily in the Spice Bazaar, too....though I never saw any being used in the local cuisine

 The shop keepers call out to you in lilting accented English, and hard-sell their wares. Even if its all shtick, one cant help be entranced by the sights and sounds and at-times disarming honesty of the tradesmen – one of them – a stole-seller asked me where I had got my stole from, and how much it had cost me. When I told him the price and that it was from India, where I came from, he shrugged and told me that he imported his stoles from India too and there was no point in my buying them from him. :D

 After shopping (and turning down yet another date – this time from a dashingly handsome young man who sold me some pomegranate molasses – I mean, WHAT was it with the man?? Wasn’t he too handsome to be asking frumpy old me out??)  and a quick snack of a borek, we headed to the quay to board our cruise ferry. 

A Borek or Boregi - local favourite snack comprising of layers of flaky phyllo pastry swaddling a cheese and spinach filling. Tasty albeit bland, the point is somewhat lost when you have it a few hours after its made - the pastry goes chewy instead of remaining crisp. :(

Istanbul had a lot of these small carts dotting street corners - they sell Turkish bagels, bread and pastries - perfect for a cold rainy day! This one is near the wharf where the Bosphorus Cruise ferries dock

 The ferry had a covered (and blissfully heated) indoor seating area which had wide windows (for the views over the Bosphoropus) and a PA system for hearing the commentary about the monuments we would be gliding by. 

Inside the ferry

 But the rain and clouds and fine spray that the boat threw up made the views dim and hazy. And made taking snaps impossible! So I jumped up and stepped outside to the small open deck for better pictures. It was freezing cold out there, especially once the boat started moving, but I could really SEE the sights along the banks of the Bosphorous. But alas, I couldn’t hear the (heavily accented) commentary so missed knowing what buildings I had just seen. :)  But there was a plus too – the wild wind, shiveringly delicious cold rain and the warm smiles of fellow tourists across the world. Wielding cameras creates such a sense of camera-derie (pun intended!!) between strangers!

On the open deck, where its freezing cold, windy, rainy, where the commentary cannot be heard, a\but you can enjoy the views without the filter of a rain-splattered window! This snap shows the bridge connecting the European and Asain sides of Istanbul.

 The cruise ended at about 1:00 PM and now we are back in our hotel room. Will step out in the afternoon.....the Blue Mosque is walking distance from our hotel and the area has lots of local cafes etc....

Our room, Hotel Lady Diana, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. 4:00 PM

Just got back from a walk in the touristy area near our hotel. It's gorgeous, cold weather notwithstanding. Narrow cobblestone streets wet with rain, cosy small shops selling souvenirs, pastries and sandwiches, good-looking people wrapped up in stylish coats and mufflers, cheerful red carts selling bagels, pastries and corn on the cob....

Checked out the Hippodrome - a wide cobblestone avenue -  in front of the Blue Mosque. There's a wishing-well lookalike (only bigger and more ornate) called the German Fountain which was a gift from German Emperor Wilhelm II to the Turkish king Sultan Abdulhamid in 1901. Plus there are 2 obelisks....one just made of stones while the other has Egyptian hieroglyphics carved over it. And oh yeah, there a flocks of pigeons waiting to be fed seeds that you can buy from smiling old ladies wrapped up in scarves.

The Hippodrome, next to the Blue Mosque - properly known as The Hippodrome of Constantinople, was a site for horse racing and chariot racing in the time of Constantine the Great. You can see the 2 obelisks in this picture

The German Fountain (Alman Çeşmesi in Turkish) on the Hippodrome - gifted by the German Kaiser Wilhelm II to Turkish Emperor Abdulhamid II. It was built in Germany, then transported piece by piece and assembled in its current site in 1900.

An snack bar near the Hippodrome - featuring the ever-present oranges, Dondurma (Turkish icecream), Borek, sandwiches and more. :)

The Cheshire Cat in a park off the Hippodrome! Istanbul has a lot of cats prowling about - and none of them look like strays, so plump and sleek and satisfied they look!

By the time I'd thoroughly explored all these sights, my fingers were nearly frozen, my hair was half wet and cheeks were stinging with the cold. A outsell was called for....so I ducked into a small restaurant and treated myself to scalding hot Turkish tea-(just tea without milk) served in the traditional curved glass. Sipping on hot, sweet tea while reading Lemony Snicket felt really nice!

Nothing beats a cup of chai and a good book on a rainy day! - In a cafe off the Hippodrome

 And either the guys here are as flirtatious as the Italians reputedly are, or they are desperate or I am remarkably beautiful.....the number of guys who stopped me to talk to me! One guy winked  toh even winked at me when I was ensconced in the bus.....one guy told me liked my traditional dress and offered to buy me an aperitif....and yet another told me I was beautiful! But the sweetest encounter was at a souvenir shop next to the tea break cafe. It was cold and rainy, and I was checking out the outdoor displays of evil eye keychains and magnets. The young guy-must have been 14- opened the door for me. He seemed delighted to hear I was from India because he knew an Indian called Nagpal. As I took a look around, he gave me a tiny trinket-a glass evil eye bead and a golden disc with the symbol of the Ottoman empire on it, strung n a safety pin- with a smile, and said "This is free!" :)

Given that I am NOT beautiful and the guys ARE, I am forced to conclude that they are simply flirtatious. :)

Picked up a sandwich made of chicken shwarma, tomato and pickled cucumber strips stuffed in a wide round flat bread for a late lunch. And a pack of hazelnuts and one of Ayran (buttermilk, widely drunk in Turkey) for the parental units back at the hotel.

Now lunch's done and it's time for a bit of cozy reading in bed!