Monday in Istanbul

Monday: John was up early and out the door of the hotel for a trip around the waterfront. He walked for about two hours, along the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus, completely circling the Topkapi Palace and getting fabulous views of the extensive traffic on this narrow intersection of waterways. And there were plenty of people fishing along the waterfront. Of particular interest was one group that had set up a mobile tiny grill, ready to receive any catch they might make. John also ran into a bunch of bicyclists doing an early morning tour of the district. They seemed half asleep but happy to be out.

After a wonderful breakfast of various cheeses and breads and jams, along with good Turkish tea, we proceeded out for our day. First stop was the Old Cisterns with their wonderful columns and dripping ceilings. What a massive amount of water they must have held 1,000 years ago. And to think that they were lost to the city until uncovered during local construction. The people that run it have great lighting inside and nice music fit for 40 feet below ground. The most interesting sight is the base of two of the pillars

which are in the form of Madusa’s head.

Back in the sunlight we proceeded to Topkapi along a beautiful street with the Haga Sofia on one side charming tiny houses on the other up against the wall of the Palace. Topkapi is massive and exquisite in the detail of its buildings and tile work. We started with the Harem quarters for the hundreds of wives and concubines the sultan kept. It may have been a good life for a woman in those days but to be confined to a small domain – no matter how beautiful – would be pretty close to being in prison. The sultan’s audience chamber for his wives was one of the highlight of the Harem: a beautiful and spacious room with room for entertainment and views out over the Golden Horn. Of course the inner sanctum of his bedroom was interesting as it contained two extremely massive beds – for summer and winter based on lighting – but it was his privy chamber (study or private office) that was enjoyable as it was quite small yet very cozy and certainly well lit. And just down the hall from the inner sanctum was an inner

courtyard that overlooked the Sultan’s immense pool. Certainly it was huge enough for all the harem to bath with the sultan!

Exiting the Harem, we took in the formal audience room with its rich decorations and beautiful exterior. Every pillar was different and every line of the building refined. Peggy went into the Sultan’s Treasury to view the innumerable jewelry and famous items, including the jewel-encrusted knife and the spoon diamond. In addition there is a wonderful view of the Bosphorous from the loggia.

By this time it was lunch and we went to the Konyali Restaurant inside the Palace with a breathtaking view of the Bosphorous. Our table was right on the edge and we spent a wonderful meal of lamb and vegetables overlooking the traffic and the sunshine on the waters. Dessert was the traditional baklava and pudding, which was quickly consumed. Back into the palace buildings we visited the sultan’s informal audience chambers with their rich appointments and thoughtful location for breezes and for relaxing. Here too there was a pool but it was only about 20 feet square. We also took in the various museums, including one that has gathered a number of relics

for viewing, including Mohammed’s fingernail and Mose’s staff …..

Happy in our visit, we returned to our hotel for a tiny refreshing shower and quick nap before proceeding to the Grand Bazaar. We looked up a friend of a friend, Aziz Akpinar in one of his ceramics shops near the Beayzit Entrance. He focuses on ceramics but helped us look at most anything the Bazaar has to offer. After two cups of apple tea and lots of discussion about quality and process, we concurred to buy a few items, which he will ship for us. His shops – and all the shops in the Bazaar – are filled with wonderful things, sparkling in the light and packed to the ceilings. We walked into a few different areas and each was a joy to the eye … vast expanses of color and variety. Alleys of gold, silk, ceramics, anything you can imagine.

But we needed to relax, so we walked back to our newly found bar at the top of the Lady Diana Hotel and had some mezes and a beer while drinking in the view and the sounds of Ramadan. After a walk to arrange a Bosphourus trip

with an agency, we settled back into our hotel for the night. What a day. Part of the trip: Istanbul and the Turkish Coast

More Source:

Mondays in Istanbul | Walking Tours - Istanbul Tours | Travel
Istanbul Museums, Museum Guide Istanbul
Montage Monday: Istanbul's Basilica Cistern | A Wandering Sole
Wonderful Istanbul - Main Page

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Submited at Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 6:00 pm on Middle East by hilman
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