Bonus Blog: A Night in Kiev

                I was going to mention my layover in Kiev in my previous blog, as it was on the way home from Germany, but after recent events this past week I decided to make it a separate post, as there is far too much information to include. Thanks to my friend Suze, who lived in Ukraine last year, I’ve learned the basics of the most recent Ukrainian conflict, starting last November, but I realized how much I still had to learn while spending an evening there about two and a half weeks ago. Flashback to Wednesday, January 9^th, 2014:

Kiev

                Chelsea drove me to the airport that next morning and we said goodbye. I was on my own again, and had four classes to teach the next day. However, my adventure wasn’t quite over yet. That afternoon I had a short flight to Kiev, Ukraine, where I would be spending the night, then flying back to Moscow in the morning. I had also had a long layover in Kiev on my flight to Germany, but I didn’t get out to explore like I had planned because of bad weather. Instead, I stayed at the airport and made friends with the girl working at the 24 hour café, who very sweetly gave me a free apple at the end of her shift to solidify our friendship. But this time was my last chance to see a little of Kiev until who knows when. My plan was to land, take the airport bus to the central train station, then walk around to see Independence Square, St. Michael’s Monastery, and then St. Sophia’s Cathedral. All were within walking distance and manageable to see within an hour or two.

Central Train Station, Kiev

                Though today Ukraine is an independent country, with its own traditions and language, (however, it should be noted that a good portion of Ukraine is Russian speaking) if you really want to get to the heart of Russian history you have to go back to Ukraine. Founded around the 6^th century, Kiev was the first capital city of ‘Rus,’ and experienced a Golden Age of great prosperity in the 10^th-12^th centuries, while Russia proper was still made up of bands of tribesmen living in the forest. In 988, a missionary from Constantinople converted the Kievan Slavs to Christianity, thus founding the Russian Orthodox Church. By the 13^th century the Mongols began their invasions, and after decades of Mongol rule, Kiev lost its power and the head of the church was relocated to Moscow. Beginning with the Mongols, a series of wars and battles caused Kiev to be bounced around from principality to principality such as Lithuania and Poland for a few centuries, before finally being returned to Russia in the 17^th century. By then, Ukraine had started to develop its own national identity, which the Russian tsars tried to discourage by implementing a policy of ‘Russification.’ This policy backfired, as the national identity grew even stronger throughout the succeeding years of Romanov rule. Ukraine achieved autonomy in 1917, but of course, it became a part of the Soviet Union shortly after. In 1991, Ukraine finally became an independent nation, but as we can see from recent events, it has some problems. It is still a very new nation, and there are many facets of division within.

                I apologize if you weren’t in the mood for a history lesson, but I promise there was a purpose in teaching you. For the past two months there have been nonviolent protests in Independence Square as a result of President Viktor Yanukovych withdrawing his attendance from a meeting to discuss Ukraine’s potential involvement with the European Union. Instead, he began talks and ended up striking an economic deal with Russia’s President Putin. This move outraged a great deal of the Ukrainain population, as more are in favor of looking towards the West for the future instead of becoming involved with Russia and the East again. Shortly after this decision to avoid the EU meeting, rallies and peaceful protests broke out in Independence Square, with the citizens building barricades and arming themselves in case of a clash. They wanted their voices to be heard. For two months these people were held at bay, with protesters and demonstrations every day, but no violence. Just this past week, (beginning January 19^th) violence has finally ensued, with at least five casualties to date and more fights within other Ukranian cities.

                Fortunately, the night I was in Ukraine things were calm. I landed from Frankfurt, hopped on the airport bus, got out at the central train station…and found myself standing in the pouring rain with my backpack. Great. I was tempted to just go back to the airport and hang out at the coffee shop, but I told myself this was my chance. What if I never get back to Ukraine again – was I really going to waste this opportunity? Of course not. After I slapped some sense into myself I went into the train station and did the only thing to do: I bought an umbrella, and began walking. Well, first I took the metro to the Independence Square stop. Then I started walking.

Independence Square

As I approached the Maidan, the oval shaped center in front of the Square, I could hear…singing. I walked closer and was shocked to see people standing in the rain, listening to some women singing on a stage while holding the Ukranian flag. There were spectators and policemen alike roaming around, so I could only assume they were singing protest or nationalist songs. Either way, it was beautiful to observe, but it was also cold and wet, and I was on a mission. After furtively taking some pictures, I located the street I was supposed to walk down to see St. Michael’s Monastery and I took off, using the Maidan as a shortcut route. As I began my walk, I was shocked to find myself right in the middle of homemade barriers and defense structures. I had no idea things were still so tense nor that the barriers from November still existed (or had been built upon.) It was like a scene straight out of Les Miserables. I wasn’t scared, and I didn’t see any people under the tarps, but I knew I shouldn’t linger and take pictures for very long as there were probably people watching me, and I had a bright blue backpack strapped to my waist. I quickly exited and walked up my street, past some policemen, and left the protest site.

St. Sophia's Cathedral

                There were still plenty of people walking around in the rain with their umbrellas, so I felt safe, but even as I reached the monastery I noticed other barriers in smaller areas around the city. There were makeshift tents with fire to keep warm were set up in corners, and I saw a few people walking back and forth from these areas with what looked like food. I was delighted to see the monastery, but it was difficult to make out all of it. I learned later that the churches had turned off the lights on some of Kiev’s most famous sights in order to help hide some of the activists. I stood under a bus stop to get out of the rain for a while, feeling sorry for the book that didn’t fit anywhere except the outside pocket of my backpack, and was likely getting wetter by the minute. By then, I was a straight shot from St. Sophia’s, so I oriented myself and made my way to the beautiful cathedral complex, originally dating back to the 11^th century. Again, it was difficult to fully see in the dark, but it was still stunning.

St. Michael's Monastery

                I was closer to a different metro station than my original one, so I decided to make a full loop, as the rain was tapering off by then. I walked past another part of the city center, passing the beautiful Theater, some government buildings, and ended my walk at the Golden Gate, the original southern entrance to the medieval city of Kiev. I decided to quit while I was ahead, and went back inside to take the metro. I had one last bit of fun though, as I skipped over the train station stop and went a couple more stops beyond, so that I could ride up and down the deepest metro station in the world, at 105.5 meters below ground. It took 4 and a half minutes to ride up, then I got yelled at for not properly exiting and buying a new ticket, since I just hopped over and took the opposite escalator down. But hey, I got away with it. I made my way back to the train station, found the airport bus, bought some street food, and I was back at the airport by midnight.  

Golden Gates of Kiev

The remaining six hours until boarding were spent reading, walking around, having coffee, and finally getting a few hours of sleep before heading back to Moscow for a full day of teaching. Was I tired? Yes. Did I barely make it through my four classes before passing out in my bed? Yes. But was it worth it to have my night in Kiev? Yes. I was grateful for the opportunity to see for my own eyes not only the protests sites, but also the former glory of Kiev. Both deepened my understanding of the past and the present. Ukraine’s historical ties to Russia will always complicate things when trying to deal with Western Europe, as it is caught in the middle. Ukraine sees the appeal of the mostly prosperous European Union, yet it feels the tugging and pulling from Mother Russia. After this past week, all we can hope for is that the violence will stop as quickly as possible, and that it will serve as an eye opener to the Ukrainian government to listen more to the Ukrainian people. 

New Year, New Country

                I’ve been destined to visit Germany ever since I was born. Not only do I have some German heritage on my Dad’s side, but also in the past my grandparents, Mom, and uncle lived there. A few decades later the same uncle and his family  resided there, my stepdad lived there, my cousin spent some time there, and even my Dad has visited the country on a work trip. It was just a matter of time before I finally entered the land of the Germans. The place where hamburgers were invented, where black forest cake first happened, and where the primary source of the Wisconsin drinking culture originated. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was delighted by the outcome.

                The best part of my time in Germany was the opportunity to spend the entire week with some friends of mine from Mankato. The three of us date all the way back to my sophomore year in high school, when I first started working at a Lebanese restaurant, thanks to a connection from my friend Emily (the same one who got married last December.) Here, I met Ben, then a college student studying nutrition at MSU, and soon after we were joined by Chelsea, a girl I already knew from high school band. We all hit it off, stayed friends, and I attended their wedding about five years ago. Fast forward to Ben’s Army post in Germany, with me not too far away in Russia, and a trip was born. I became auntie to their ten month old James, and had a wonderful time catching up with Ben and Chels. When you live abroad, your friends become your family, and at that point seeing friends from home was exactly what I needed.

Ready for a fun week with this little guy. 

                So, as an example of how they fulfilled the ‘wonderful hosts’ post, (they had lots of great hosts to live up to, but they met the challenge well) Ben, Chelsea and James were ready and waiting for me at the airport. We drove about an hour from the airport and entered the Air Force base to pick up some supplies – my first experience with American products in months! As always, the grocery store was a highlight for me.Then we went off base to Ben and Chelsea’s rental house, nestled in a cute little village area, with walking paths and woods all around. We had a home cooked meal, played Scattergories, and relaxed on the living room couch while James played on the floor – a perfect evening.

Sunrise in Heidelberg

Heidelberg Castle 

                The next five days were spent on a little driving tour of southwestern Germany. We began in Heidelberg, where James had a baby doctor appointment, so while Ben and Chelsea were with him, I spent the morning walking around the city. I walked up to the ruins of the old castle, which provided fantastic views over the city, I checked out what was left of the Christmas market in town, and really just enjoyed walking around a traditional, classic German town. The buildings were cute and pretty, there were tons of shops and cafes, and a beautiful old church. Heidelberg’s University is the oldest in Germany, founded in 1386. I visited parts of the old campus and even found the spot where Martin Luther himself gave a speech in defense of his 95 Theses in 1518, effectively beginning the Protestant Reformation. In addition to and equally important to viewing a trace of Martin Luther, I also had my first marzipan pastry from a real life German bakery, followed by my first German bratwurst a few hours later. I was well on my way to discovering more of my German heritage. 

                So, Heidelberg was an absolute delight, but we couldn’t stay any longer than the appointment, because we still had some driving to do. Our destination was to reach the base of Neuschwanstein Castle, just outside of a little town called Fussen, on the Bavarian border. We munched on fresh fruit, bread, meat, and cheese as our on-the-go dinners, further increasing my impression of the country. Chelsea had booked accommodations ‘near the castle,’ but none of us really realized how close it would be – we had a lit up view of the castle from our window.

                To refresh you, Neuschwanstein Castle, also know as ‘the Disney Castle,’ is the 19^th century Romantic  castle built by Prince Ludwig II of Bavaria. Walt Disney used the castle as inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, an image recognized all over the world. Hundreds of tourists visit the castle each day, and early January was no exception. However, we weren’t planning to visit the castle until Sunday, so on Saturday we decided to drive about an hour away to Ulm, and visit the Minster Church.

                Anyone who knows our part of Minnesota will know the appeal of visiting the town of Ulm, as we have the little German town of New Ulm not too far from Mankato. We wanted to see the original, so after enjoying our delicious complimentary breakfast, taking a nice walk around the area, and packing up for a day out with Baby, we took off to explore. The beginning of our drive surprisingly revealed the snow capped peaks of the German Alps behind us, which we hadn’t been able to see in the dark the night before.

Ulm Minster 

Minster Interior

In Ulm, despite the clouds and rain, we still had a very nice afternoon walking around the old city center. Our first stop was the Minster Church, which I have since learned is the tallest church in the world. I have also learned that though it is popularly called Ulm Cathedral, it isn’t a proper cathedral since it has never been the seat of a bishop. It was originally built in the late 14^th century as a Roman Catholic church, then after the Protestant Reformation in the 16^th century it was converted to a Lutheran church. The rest of our afternoon was spent wandering and observing. We discovered a much smaller, but perhaps even more beautiful painted church, hidden away behind a park. We also walked on the old city walls along the river and admired the waterfront houses. On our way home we stopped for dinner at a nice German restaurant in Fussen, just outside of our hotel. There, I checked off Gluhwein from my ‘must do in Germany’ list, as they were still selling the warm, fruity wine that accompanies outdoor European Christmas Markets. After a little shopping and some hearty German food, we returned to the hotel ready for a good night’s sleep and looking forward to some more exploring. 

Enjoying my Gluhwein.

The next day was castle day. After breakfast and packing up, we were close enough to walk to the ticket office and arrange for the day. Because of their proximity and relation to each other, most tourists visit both Hoenschwangau Castle and Neuschwanstein Castle. Hoenschwangau Castle was Prince Ludwig’s childhood summer home, where he must have spent many hours gazing from at the site of his future castle. 

View from Hoenschwangau

Our tour of Hoenschwangau, which was originally a 12^th century fortress, then rebuilt in the 1830s by King Maximillian of Bavaria as a summer and hunting residence, revealed beautiful walls painted with classic tales of German folk heroes and fairy tales. They say these stories were what inspired Prince Ludwig II to build his castles, as embodiments of his fantastic imagination and realization of these stories. Another major influence on Ludwig was the German Romantic composer Richard Wagner (Ride of the Valkyries – you’ve heard it even if you don’t know the name), who was a frequent guest at Hoenschwangau while Ludwig was young.  Hoenschwangau was a nice preview and provided a better understanding for our next stop, Neuschwanstein.

The Wunderlichs

Located just a couple of kilometers up a hill from Hoenschwangau, we hiked up (of course I had to show up my grandparents, mom, and uncle, who rode up to the castle in a horse-drawn carriage in the 1960s – bonus points to me for getting more exercise than they did) to the castle and used the extra time before our scheduled tour to hike around the area. We found the famous bridge and peak that provided incredible views of the castle from behind.

Neuschwanstein Castle. 

Adventure Baby

Touring the castle, unfortunately, was more of a shuffle-like-cattle scenario, as it was full of people and we could barely hear our guide. They didn’t allow pictures, and it was over just like that. But, complaints aside, we were able to see the beautiful interior and décor of the completed rooms (he died before finishing the castle.) Neuschwanstein literally translates to New Swan Rock, in honor of the principality of Schwangau and the former medieval knights of Schwangau. Again, the primary inspirations for the Castle were the dramatic operas of Richard Wagner, who surely spent time playing the piano at Neuwchwanstein Castle. Do yourself a favor and listen to part of a Wagner song on YouTube, (you can find the link to Ride of the Valkyries here) in order to gain a better insight to Ludwig’s imagination. It was a lovely day exploring castles and being tourists.

The next day Ben had to work, so Chelsea, Baby and I stayed domestic for the morning, then spent the afternoon at Ramstein Air Force Base for some shopping, lunch, and bowling with Ben in the evening. My final full day in Germany was spent exploring the beautiful city of Trier with Chelsea and James, just an hour away from their house and very close to the Swiss border. 

Porta Nigra, Trier

Trier is the oldest city in Germany, founded in the 12th century BC, centuries before the Romans discovered and took over in the first century BC. It later become the capital of the northern Roman prefecture of Gaul. The Romans left their mark in a series of outstanding architectural feats, including the Porta Nigra, the former southern gate to the city, and the original location of the impressive Trier Cathedral. Since then, Trier has remained an important German city because of its Cathedral, its existing Roman ruins, its university, and many more features. In more recent history, Trier is also where Karl Marx, the legendary founder of modern day Communism, was born and raised. We tromped all over the city center to find his obscure little house and museum, tucked away in a side street off the main central district. It was a lovely day outside, we had a nice lunch, and we returned home feeling very satisfied with our day. Even Baby, I'm sure. 

Trier City Center

Trier Catherdral

My departure day came much too quickly. Before we all knew it, we had our last dinner together and had our last evening on the couch. However, by that point we had plans in the works for them to possibly come visit me in Moscow this spring, and I had decided to return to Germany for a week at the end of June. So, we knew goodbye was just for a few months. I was grateful for the time we were able to spend together, and can't wait to return to their cozy home away from home in the future. And now, my German ancestors can rest in peace knowing I have finally visited their beautiful homeland. Just don't ask me to learn how to speak their language, because it still sounds like gibberish to me. Auf Weidersehen!

One City, Two Continents

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope you all had wonderful holidays with family time, relaxation time, and of course, a little fun time. I’m going to take you back to just after Christmas, way back in 2013, when I was lucky enough to spend an extended weekend in Istanbul, Turkey.

                Istanbul has always been a dream destination for me. I remember cutting a picture of a cruise advertisement many years ago and making a travel collage, with a smiling couple posing for a picture on their boat in front of the Hagia Sophia in the center of my bulletin board. I knew I would go someday. Of course, as a history major there’s a special attraction to a city that was not only the heart of the Byzantine Christian Empire but also the Islamic Ottoman Empire. And of course, I was also dying to take a ferry and cross from the European continent to the Asian continent, in a span of about 20 minutes. If you look at a map of Turkey and zero in on Istanbul, which I also remember doing way back in my 7^th grade geography class, you will notice that there is indeed a very narrow strait, the Bosphorous, that separates ‘Europe’ from ‘Asia.’ Don’t pay attention to north of the Black Sea where Russia dominates and takes over both continents anyway like it’s no big deal. Okay, Russia. We’ll let you have that one, but it doesn’t diminish the glory of Istanbul.

Welcome to Istanbul

                I took the tram into the city at sunrise. The air was cool, (but warmer than Moscow) the clouds were lightening up, and the city was slowly coming to life. The call to prayer playing on the loudspeakers just as the tram started moving added an air of mystery and enticement. Previously, I had only traveled in two slightly Muslim areas, so I understood some of the basics of Islam, but now I was in a country that is about 95 percent practicing Muslim. I knew the loudspeakers would sound five times a day, with their slightly eerie singing voices, and that Muslims were instructed to stop what they were doing, lay their prayer rug in the direction of Mecca (the Islamic holy pilgrimmage site), and pray. Not in Minnesota anymore, Toto. But, the time for prayer doesn’t dictate the way of life in Turkey, like causing a delay in the tram. So I hopped on, picked a window seat, and gazed eagerly out as we entered the city. As I approached the tram stop closest to the Hagia Sophia I saw it illuminated by lights, looking just as beautiful as I had imagined. I was here. 

I took the tram just across the Galata Bridge, which spans the narrow inlet of water known as the Golden Horn. But, instead of heading straight to my hostel, I immediately turned around and started walking back across the bridge. No, it wasn’t because I saw a Starbucks (please, I took care of that at the airport straightaway). I walked back because not only was I curious about the dozens of fishermen out standing in the cold on the bridge, but I had also spotted some colors off in the horizon and I could see that I was in for a fantastic sunrise. 

An auspicious start to the weekend. 

               So I spent my first hour in Istanbul taking amazing pictures and observing the camaraderie of the fishermen who were hanging out all along the bridge. I’m sure they couldn’t catch enough for profit, but I remembered hearing about this tradition of fishing on the Galata, so perhaps it was simply out of habit and enjoyment. I could count three lit up mosques across the water, waiting for the sun to come up. Soon some women started pushing around breakfast carts with street food for sale, interrupting my reverie, so I decided to find my hostel so I could drop my bag and begin exploring properly.

               After checking in, scoring a free breakfast even though I hadn’t paid for the night before, and settling into my room, I took off for the city center. I only had one destination in mind: the Hagia Sophia. I had dreamed about it, I had watched documentaries and read about it, and now I was finally going to see it. But as it turned out, it looked a little different up close and personal from a different angle than the pictures always show…so I ended up at the Blue Mosque instead while fully intending to see the Hagia Sophia. No biggie, the Hagia Sophia was right across the street. Honest mistake. A mosque is a mosque.

                Do you want to know the best feature about mosques? Actually, that’s a two part answer and I’ll only tell you one now. The first one is that they, like churches, are free to visit and enter. Reason 1.5 is that they’re absolutely beautiful inside. The Blue Mosque, properly called the Sultan Hamet Mosque but known as the Blue Mosque because of its blue tiled interior, was built in 1609 for the royal sultan. It is still a working mosque today, so tourists are only allowed in between prayer times. I spent some time properly gazing, admiring, and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. 

Dream come true: Inside the Hagia Sophia

               After the Blue Mosque, I headed across the way to finally see the Hagia Sophia. The history of this building is fascinating. Originally built as a sixth century Greek Orthodox church when the city was called Constantinople, it was converted to an Islamic mosque in the 15^th century, when Istanbul became the center of Islam. Today, it’s a museum. I paid my entrance fee, even splurged for the audioguide (sadly, I don’t think it was worth it. I would have rather read a book after), and prepared for amazement. I wasn’t disappointed. What is so striking to me about the Hagia Sophia is that within its grandeur both Christians and Muslims have worshiped. There is only one God, and that structure, whether it was called a basilica or a mosque, was dedicated to one and the same God. Both religions can find peace and comfort in the same building, worshiping the same deity. Yet in our world today there are terrible tragedies from the conflict between these two religions. Food for thought. 

The Grand Bazaar

                After I’d had my mosque fill for the morning, I continued my walk in the Sultanhamet area to check out the Grand Bazaar – the largest covered bazaar in Europe. Stalls upon stalls of beautiful goods – anything you could want, from pottery to Turkish lamps to jewelry were sold there. Used to tromping through markets and used to being annoyed by shopkeepers looking for prey, I employed my usual stragety of putting in my headphones without music so that I could observe undisturbed. Besides the marketwares, I enjoyed noticing that the bazaar is still largely in use for its purpose: buying things. It wasn’t a kitschy tourist structure, but rather ancient, beautiful, and full of both tourists and Turkish people alie. There were small fountains for washing feet before prayer time, people were bringing shopkeepers tea in the traditional tulip shaped tea glasses, and people were sitting in the ‘outdoor’ seats of the cafes and small restaurants that lined an area of the market. Even I finally broke face, gave in, and bargained a bit with a very nice man for a beautiful silver necklace pendant of a stylized blue and white ‘eye of protection.’ The eye is supposed to protect you from evil, and you can see it all over Turkey and Greece. By then it was nearly 4, an afternoon well spent, on top of my big morning, so I treated myself to a must eat in Turkey: the kebab, with its flavorful shaved chicken, crisp vegetables, and tangy sauce, all wrapped up in a pita.

                On my way back to the hostel, I wandered down a long hill of more market stalls, yet this time it was outside of the touristy district – these were actual Turkish people buying things on a regular basis. Used to our Super Wal-Marts and Targets, Americans are typically one stop shoppers. In this area, however, you must go to the light store when you need to change a lightbulb. Then go to the appliance store if you need a new blender. And so on – the store categories seemed endless, but made for an enjoyable walk down the hill back to the shoreline. When I finally reached sea level, I was right next to the Grand Mosque, the one closest to the Galata Bridge. Considering my new status as a mosque aficionado, I decided to enter this one as well, as I still had some time.

                 

Peacefully relaxing in The Great Mosque

                Remember when I said there are two parts to the answer about the best features of mosques? Review: the first part is that they are free. The first and a half part is that they’re beautiful inside and outside. A part I didn’t mention (first and three quarters?) is that you have to take your shoes off when you enter, since people pray kneeling on the carpeted ground. And finally, the second official best part about mosques is that inside, you can simply sit on the warm carpet and respectfully observe all that is happening around you. When I arrived at the Great Mosque I had been walking around all day and was even a little chilled, so I spent about a half an hour just sitting (they had a roped off area for visitors so as to not disturb the worshipers) and watching people. I was thinking about how different life would be if I had been raised to worship at a mosque every week instead of sitting in the church pews on Sunday mornings. If I set aside five times a day to pray, no matter where I was or what I was doing. I read that in Turkey, and especially in a modern city like Istanbul, Islam is on a very individual instead of societal basis – you do what you see fit as far as when, how much, and to what extent to worship. This is very different than most Western perceptions of a stricter Islamic country like Saudi Arabia, where life is more or less dictated by Islamic law. But in Istanbul, things are more relaxed. Turkey prides itself on being a modern republic, stressing that its citizens be free to choose their religion. Just the fact that I, a Christian, was able to sit on my bum in an Islamic mosque and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, transgresses certain Western perspectives of Islam and I was grateful for the experience. 

On display in the modern district of Istanbul

                 But, my day wasn’t over yet. I had a social event planned for the evening! It turned out that I discovered via Facebook that a friend of a friend, another former Korea English teacher and a current English teacher in Spain, was going to be in Istanbul the same weekend as I. Instant friendship. She was also visiting a different friend who lives in Turkey, so the three of us arranged to meet for dinner that night. We went to a fancier, more modern district of Istanbul, and ate tons of traditional Turkish food while getting to know each other. Sarah, the other friend, who is currently getting her master’s degree in the capital city of Ankara, taught Rachelle and I all about life in Turkey and what she has learned since living there. It was a great night with fellow Americans (two of  Sarah's other friends joined us) and fantastic food, and  we made plans to meet up the following day.

The stunning blue mosaics of Topkapi Palace

                 In the morning, Rachelle and I met up bright and early to hit one of the highlights of Istanbul: the Topkapi Palace. Topkapi is situated on top of one of the city’s hills, and the views of the Bosphorous, the Golden Horn, the European and Asian continents, and the Sea of Marmara beyond were unparalleled with any other view. We spent most of the morning admiring the beautiful ceramics, drooling over the sultan’s jewels, and imagining what royal life must have been like in the harem, the private quarters of the royal family. It was a fantastic insight to the former glory of the Ottoman dynasty. After the Palace we ventured to the Basilica Cistern, a sixth century Byzantine structure, which was built by Emperor Justinian to provide a water supply and filtration system to the city. Though today it’s nothing more than “pillars and water,” as Rachelle so simply stated, it’s still a fascinating, and slightly eerie sight. I was thrilled to actually see it in person after reading about it in Dan Brown’s “Inferno” (I recommend it!)

The royal quarters inside the Harem

Rachelle and Sarah enjoying our evening on the Asian side

                After our touristy day of sightseeing we went back to the hostel area, and then took the local ferry across the Bosphorous to the Asian side. After about 20 minutes, we stepped off at the ferry port, met up with Sarah, and wandered through the local street shops, cafes, restaurants, and stalls. It had a fun, lively atmosphere and we all enjoyed exploring, doing a little shopping, and eating at another fantastic Turkish restaurant. But, we still had something very special planned for the end of the night, so after taking the ferry back to the European side, we took the tram to the city center once again, and entered…a traditional Turkish hammam. 

                 A hammam, or public bathhouse, is a wonderfully Turkish experience, and perhaps the single most best activity to do after walking around Istanbul for two days straight in close to freezing temperatures. Much like the public bathhouses in Korea, the hammam is a social event, a bathing event, and a chance to relax and gossip with your friends event all in one. Unfortunately, the nicer ones are more expensive, but even I, frugal as I usually am, would have to say it’s worth it.

                After you pay you receive a little kit, then you are instructed to go to the locker room, undress, wear the underwear they provide, then wrap up in a little towel. Then you enter the bathroom. This particular one was octagonal, with star shaped perforations in the domed ceiling. Around the sides there are water taps and small ground level sinks, the in the center is the highlight: the smooth, warm, circular stone slab of marble where all the magic happens. Here, you are met by your scrubber lady, whose job is to make you as squeaky clean as possible. To start, you get buckets of warm water dumped on you. Then, you lay down on your towel and she uses an exfoliate cloth to scrub you down – I wouldn’t use the adverb ‘gently,’ but perhaps ‘effectively’ to describe the scrubdown. Let’s just say she gets the job done – my skin was tingling when she was done. Then comes the good stuff. After some more warm water dumping (again, gentle is perhaps not the best way to describe this) she uses a bubble bath type substance to massage you with. You flip flop over onto your back and then your stomach like a fish, while she bubbles and massages you up. This was glorious, especially on the feet and legs, and over much too soon. To finish, she (as you guessed) dumps more water on you to rinse, then throws in a complimentary hair washing at the taps. After this, you’re squeaky clean, and free to swim around in the hot tub pools of warm water connected to the main bathroom for as long as you like. Jealous yet?

Central Taksim Square

Inside the Cemberlitas Hammam (picture courtesy of Google Images)

                We all floated back to our respective sleeping locations, then I said goodbye to Rachelle, who was leaving early the next morning, then went back and dreamed of warm bubbles. And before I knew it, I woke up and it was my last full day in Istanbul. I needed a little chill time, and most museums are closed on Mondays, so I spent the morning walking and window shopping my way to Taksim Square, considered the modern center of Istanbul, and the site of protests only one night before I had arrived. The main objective of the protests were to express dissent with the corrupt government, which had just tried to pull a fast one involving money earlier that week. I don’t believe there were any casualties, but I knew the police had used tear gas and shield barriers. The morning I went, the protesters were gone but there were still police vans and officers positioned around the giant square.

Goodbye beautiful Istanbul

                In the afternoon I did some souvenir shopping, then met up with Sarah again for dinner. I was so grateful for all of the meals we’d shared, for even though I’d spent much more money on food than I usually do while travelling, I had gained so much insider knowledge about Turkey from someone who is very passionate in her love for the country. The entire weekend had been a fantastic learning experience, and I can’t wait to return to Turkey and spend much more time traveling around the rest of the country, to see its historic ruins (the ancient location of Troy, the ruins of Ephesus), its beautiful beaches (a popular Russian holiday destination), and many more highlights this country has to offer. The Turkish people are kind, so kind, and so happy to see you enjoying their country. Sarah assured me it’s just the same anywhere else in Turkey. We said goodbye and parted ways – who knows when and where we will meet again? That’s the beauty of travel friends – you never truly say goodbye, but ‘see you later.’

                So, having broken barriers and finally spent some time in a primarily Muslim country, I departed the next morning to return to Moscow, thrilled with all I had seen and done and reinvigorated with my love for traveling. Good thing I had another outbound international flight the next day. But first, it was time to ring in the New Year with my friends back in Moscow. More to come soon! Have a wonderful weekend!

P.S. I’d like to introduce my new roommate Bazarov the kitty, who tried very hard to help me write this entry by running all over my keyboard as much as he possibly could. Unfortunately, Bazarov can’t spell yet, so I had to erase his contributions. But here he is – I’m sure he would say hello if he could! 

Hi from Bazarov!