Day 3 - Blogabond

This was a much more leisurely day. Our morning began lounging at the hotel pool which, like everything else in this hotel, looks out over the Bosphorus, actually seeming to be a part of it as the water runs from the upper pool to the lower pool and into the strait.[p>
The afternoon took us back to the old city, this time for a visit to Hagia Sophia, the most famous mosque in Turkey. To be honest, however, I'm not quite sure why. It is impressive in size to be sure, and the few remaining bits of mosaic on the walls in the upper galleries were splendid, but otherwise I found the building entirely forgettable. Of course, this could be in some measure due to the huge scaffolding that was present and obscuring the view of about half of the main dome but, truth be told, the other half of the dome didn't look all that exciting so I didn't feel really cheated.

From Hagia Sofia we made the long walk cross town to the Fatih Mosque. To get there we walked through some of the oldest parts of the city, including a trip past the fairly well-preserved remains of a Roman aqueduct. And because our walk took us away from the most frequently visited tourist sites, we found ourselves in the most conservative part of the city. So, while I wore a skirt the came down below my calves and a scarf on my head, the fact that the neckline of my dress was something other than a turtleneck attracted attention, making me a bit uncomfortable.

The approach to the Fatih Mosque is a lovely, tree-lined pathway, and the mosque itself has some impressive tilework. In the adjoining cemetery is a tomb which houses the body of a dead sultan's tomb, which was interesting enough.

After Fatih Mosque, we moved on to the largest mosque in Istanbul, Sultanahmet. Along the way we meandered up and down (Istanbul is rather hilly) small streets, each of which had a different specialty -- fabric shops all on one block, pots and pans on another, appliances on a third. This was clearly the area where the residents shopped, avoiding the overly touristic bazaars. The big mosque was, well, a big mosque with more and bigger tombs. 'Nuff said.

Next we visited Economou, the wharf area from which most of the ferries which travel across and up the Bosphorus depart, and where the spice, or Egyptian, market is located. Here there was lots of activity, more great views, interesting wandering. Of course, the day would not be complete without another trip back to the Grand Bazaar where, after a bit of haggling and lots of tea, Mark finally broke down and purchased what was to become the first carpet of the trip (a 6x9 silk number), as well as another miniature painting.

Dinner that evening was in Kumkapi, otherwise known as Istanbul's outdoor restaurant row. Walking down the street involves dodging the constant barrage of "Come and sit down?" and "Please look at the menu," so much so that one could literally lose their appetite trying to shake these guys off. As a result, Mark and I decided to sit at the first restaurant where we weren't assaulted which, to be honest, turned out to be a mistake, as the food was mediocre at best.

written by

shoshtrvls on June 4, 1996 from Istanbul, Turkey

from the travel blog: Turkey and Greece (1996)

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