We got out of bed around 7:30 am and started to prepare for our day. We wanted to do some sightseeing on the early side to try to beat some of the tourists out of bed. We started with breakfast in the hotel, and again it was very good. They served hot coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice – squeezed right there in front of you while you wait. The staff of the hotel were really friendly, too. It seemed to be a family operation, but everyone spoke excellent English and they provided us with everything we could want.
We headed to our first stop – to see inside the Blue Mosque. The first tour was already lined up around the back. The main entrance was reserved for people that are praying, and during prayer times they close the mosque to tourists. Our timing was pretty good, though. We lined up and got inside in under 15 minutes. Women had to heard some kind of covering of their head and arms (although this didn’t look to be strictly enforced), and all visitors had to take their shoes off and carry them along in bag to the other side. Once we got inside we were immediately struck by two things – one was the beauty of the domes inside. They are built right on top of one another in some places and make for a dramatic spectacle. The second thing we noticed was that the smell inside was terrible. Thousands of sweaty tourists in sweaty socks walk through that place every day, and they have it carpeted inside from wall to wall. All that sweat sticks around in the carpet making for a pretty awful smell. Losing the carpet would do a lot to get rid of this problem I’d wager.
After we left the mosque and were free to gasp fresh air outside we decided to go to the Basilica Cistern. Just a few minutes walk from the main part of the historic district the cistern is used to hold water for the city in reserve. It was remarkable to go down the stairs and walk around the city, completely underground. It was cool, dark and beautifully lit. They also played some atmospheric music quietly in the background that reminded me of the old game Myst for the PC. There were even fish swimming around in the water below us as we walked around on raised platforms. The cistern was supported by many pillars, and two on the far side of the cistern were carved in the shape of medusa heads. Spooky!
We stopped for a little break at a café for some fruit juice before moving on to the Top Kapi Palace, an ancient Ottoman palace that housed sultans for 400 years. It was in remarkably good condition, and there was plenty to see and do. They had treasure rooms full of treasures that sultans had attained over their reign. The sword collection alone was worth the price of admission. It was my first time to see just how big a greatsword actually is. Answer: bigger than me.
The views from the palace were just a little better than from our hotel, except they were supported by golden structures and beautiful gardens. We also enjoyed the tile work that they decorated the palace with. It was a great visit, and it kept us busy for a long time.
Next we did the old beer and the hotel rooftop routine, and hit a small restaurant outside the Blue Mosque for a kebab sandwich and a kebab roll. I had pomegranate juice (way too tart!) and Kuniko had cherry juice. Cherry juice is everywhere in Istanbul, and I can imagine in other parts of the country as well. It reminded me of the old Cherry Tree stores in Sonoma when I was growing up.
We hid away at our hotel to beat the afternoon heat and took another long nap, and then went out one last time for a grocery supply run and to have dinner. The dinner this time was at another kebab place – this place had a good reputation on TripAdvisor. I had a pizza pide – delicious – and Kuniko ordered another kebab dish. The food was much better here, and more our size. It also came with the giant puffy bread, but we successfully ignored it. For dessert that gave us each baklavas, tea and coffee, along with a Turkish delight. Great meal, great coffee, great service. Does this sound like an ad for TripAdvisor?
We were full from dinner, so we strolled home on our usual route. By now we were getting used to the lay of the land. There was no more festival going on at the main square, so it was just a quiet walk home and then to bed. We went to sleep wondering when we would get the morning prayer wake up call.
