Turkey-Part 2

Here are more pics from our recent travels to Istanbul. These are taken from 3 main sights from the old city. First up...the Hagia Sophia.

The Hagia Sophia- This is a must-see of Istanbul. It was the largest cathedral in the Christian world from 326 until 1453 when the Muslims took it over and made it into a mosque (adding minarets).
After WWI, Ataturk made it into a museum. It's ginormous...

The central dome is tall enough for the Statue of Liberty to do jumping jacks in it.

It has survived countless earthquakes over the centuries.

This was the view from our restaurant...not too shabby. We could also see the Blue Mosque from there: 

Below is the Basilica Cistern-Underground water pools built by Justinian in the 600s. This place totally reminded me of something out of 'Clash of the Titans' (the good one from the 80s, w/ Harry Hamlin). The water was crystal clear and loaded with carp that were swimming over tiled floors and in between endless pillars. It was surreal. Towards the back we found the famous 'heads of Medusa'.

Placing the columns over the symbols of Greek mythology was thought to symbolize the church's triumph over pagan religions. Personally, I thought that she just looked sad laying there in the water. 

Welches on the Bosphorous...Asia is across the bridge, but we skipped that because we happen to live on that particular continent at the moment.

Mustafa Kemal--the George Washington of modern Turkey. This guy's face was everywhere. Even though he died before WWII started, he is still revered as the father of this nation. If there's a hotel where he stayed, it's now a museum. It is tough to overstate his influence on the shape of Turkey today.

The Topkapi Palace- The seat of the Ottoman Empire up until WWI. This place was so big it took almost an entire afternoon to see it. Behind the kids is the Harem, where the Sultan's court of concubines lived and worked. To call this place ornate is a wild understatement.

                                      



This ceiling of the main bed chamber. I think that's real gold...everything was over-the-top.

The Sultan's chambers...this room overlooked a outdoor pool and had spectacular views of the water. 

Below is a little sitting room for tea w/ friends....

Will the Sultan wonders "what exactly is a harem?"

Lydia is spent. She was enthralled with the gem collection at the palace, but not so impressed with the menagerie of sacred religious relics. We saw Muhammed's footprint, John the Baptist's arm and skull, Joseph's turbin, and even Moses's actual staff. It was enough to make a Martin Luther out of anybody. Lydia said, "I think they just took a stick and said it was his." She's pretty intuitive.

At home w/ the Williams, we enjoyed some Raki a.k.a. 'lion's milk'--the Turkish drink of choice (& Mustafa Kemal's favorite-he died of sorosis of the liver btw). It's clear until you add water & it tastes a little like licorice.

All-in-all, we loved our time in Turkey. Anyone with an opportunity to see this place should jump at it. 

Also, a million thanks to our gracious Olmsted hosts, Dennis, Emily, & baby Paul Williams (OSC 2012). They were super friendly, super helpful, and they even remained friendly after we showed up to their house with lice. : ) I think that wins them some kind of award.
As for Istanbul, it gets an A+ from us.  Next stop...North Africa.

Shalom Y'all, Stew

Istanbul-Part 1

After Stewart returned from Cairo, we had about a week to prepare for our big Mediterranean/ North African adventure.  Of course, we were glued to the TV and internet watching the latest protests and demonstrations unfold in the Middle East and wondering if our travel plans would be interrupted.  Thankfully we were planning to stay with other Olmsted scholars along the way, so we would be well connected as we traveled.  Everything seemed to be calm and orderly where we were headed, so we pressed on with the plan.  First stop: Istanbul, Turkey.

If you don't know much about Turkey, please know this -- it is a beautiful, friendly and vibrant country.  Istanbul was absolutely fabulous and exceeded all of our expectations.  Another fun twist and surprise to the trip was discovering that Lydia had head lice at the end of day 1 in Istanbul....not exactly how you plan to start your 14 day vacay, but what do you do?

Here's Will and Lydia out and about in Istanbul - Will loves it so much he insisted on wearing an Istanbul shirt right out of the store.  Lydia: "my head itches."

So, after our second morning was spent procuring Lice shampoo and delousing our entire family (just to be on the safe side), we headed out to the grand bazaar.

Turkish rug anyone?

Yes, please!

Buying a Turkish rug is as much a process as it is a purchase. It can take hours, involving tea, food, education on carpets, and lots of bargaining. By the end, we left with two gorgeous rugs and not only were we happy with our finds, but Mehmet promised the kids the rugs could actually fly. 

We'll see about that...this could end badly.

Some other great sights from the Bazaar.  It was sensory overload to say the least.

T

Turkish Delight galore!

Giant Ottoman Teapots...oh my!

Below is a sequence from the Spice Market.  Lydia practices her super-model, 'Magnum' stares (for all you Zoolander fans), while Will attempts to show off his new Angry Birds watch.

                           

Day 2 in Istanbul was spent touring the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.  We opted to take the 8 am commuter Ferry on the Bosphorus to the Old City.  We were so glad we did. This is the waterway that divides the city, with one bank in Europe and the other in Asia.  We sipped tea enjoyed a peaceful morning on the water. The Ferry ride was a treat in and of itself.  The scenery could not be beat!  I could definitely get used to Istanbul.

 T

...not sure what got's Lyds' goat in this one.

This is Taksim Square--the Grand Central Station of Istanbul. Any traveler to this city will become intimately familiar with their impressive public transportation system.

                                               

Galata Tower- This was actually the first place we visited. It gave us a great view of the old city.

The kids were clearly excited.

                                                 

The Blue Mosque

Lydia took this picture herself...not too shabby!

These are shots from the Blue Mosque. The artistry inside was phenomenal. Every inch of wall was so intricate and detailed.

We were so impressed by this place. It was magical. Stand by for more highlights from Istanbul.  There's lots more to see...

Shalom Ya'll, EJ & Stew