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!