Last Day in Turkey

Random thoughts on Istanbul:
They, like the Italians, love their bread- my favorite was the flat bread baked in the open hearth & topped with all kinds of cheeses, meats, eggs, etc. My second favorite was their version of pita bread- but it has no pockets- go figure.

Then there are the Turkish meatballs- they are so delicious, but they are shaped like sausages...

You must pay to park on the streets to ‘attendants’- if not- your car is towed by a sorta mini crane that lifts it in the air & plops it onto a truck. Quite amazing to watch as a car is suspended in mid-air.

Starbuck is alive & well in Turkey- I would never get their coffee there- seems ‘Un-Turkish’ to do so…but I love the fact that when I went to the WC there- it’s a toilet with a bidet!!!! There are bidets everywhere- why don’t we have that???
If you want to buy something for carry-out, the Turkish word to say is: pakit (like, pack it to go). I love that it makes good sense & easy for translation.

Sunday, we finally got to the Eyptian Spice Market which was absolutely amazing. There are such big ‘buckets’ of spices. I found some Iranian saffron & a few other spices that are used as Turkish seasoning. Also, I have never seen so many sweets- Turkish Delight, nuts, baklava, and on & on. The merchants are very helpful & go to great lengths to tell you all they can about their goods. The place is huge- goes for blocks & blocks, weaving along the streets- but it was mostly undercover which was great for the rainy afternoon. We finished out touring by going to the most impressive mosque in Istanbul- The Mosque of Sulymaniya which was a great example of the very elaborate Ottoman architecture & design.
Bedtime came at 9pm as our car picks us up at 4am to get to the airport.

When in Turkey, do what the Turks do.....bathe

So today is our first dreary day since arrival almost a week ago. It is mid 40's and misty. So, a perfect day to find my turkish bath. I have directions from a Canadian woman who runs a textile shop; she sends me to a place that the "locals" like to use. We walk down cobbled streets seemingly forever- almost lost in the maze of pathways. But alas, I arrive and I can tell you that it is everything I ever hoped it would be! The lady who will assist me over the next hour or two is about 65-70 yrs old. She reminds me of my Italian nanny- round, soft- well, you get what I am saying....Anyways, she directs me to sit next to a huge marble sink & begins pouring water from a basin on me. Then, I am told to sleep in the steam room. So, I am laying on a slab of marble (of course, from the Marmara Sea of Turkey) for a very long nap& then she comes to me. I am rinsed, scrubbed, massaged, bathed, lotioned, & hair shampooed. It was so nice (-: I am sure something is lost in this "translation"- but it is a wonderful way to be taken care of by someone.

Towers, transportation, & trinkets....

Today began with our first ride on the tram. We went to a sight called the Galena Tower across the water, still remaining however on the european side. We were able to have a wonderful view of Istanbul from the opposite side. Later, we went rambling down all the zigzag side streets & found some amazing markets & shops. I will try to enclose some of the market shots- the fish markets in particular where great- you pick out your fresh fish & it is cooked to your liking right there. We watched the Turkish men fishing on the pier. Somehow- I am sure that I would not quite fit in with my rod (I love to fish, if you remember.)

On the way home, we rode a funnicular which was way fun & headed to the Grand Bazaar. It was so wild- hundreds of merchants showing their wares, offering tea, and a promise of the best rug, lamp, jewelry, plates, and whatever else they may have to sell. They are a friendly bunch, albeit tenecious. Everyone starts out asking where are you from, then quickly revealing that the USA is their most favorite place in the world- so please have a cup to tea & come see my rugs.

Finally, our day ended with attendance of a Whirling Dervish ceremony. It was quite a sight to see. We taped some of the music & chants.

Reaching out......

Friday was quite a day of adventures. We were able to go to several mosques and observe prayer times. Each day, there is a call to prayer five times; the call is made through loudspeakers that are placed on the minarets & broadcasted for people to come to pray. People either go to pray or not. However, Friday is their holiest day of prayer- at 12 noon , prayer calls to everyone to stop what they are doing & come to their mosque. We watched people wash prior to entering, then kneeling and praying. The mosques are beautiful inside- quite elaborate with colorful walls, columns, etc. While we were inside, a woman in a burka went out of her way to be an ambassador of sorts.....she answered our curious questions and told us that some women wear their burka by choice & protrayed a different version of her life. She was warm, friendly, and reached out & held my hand; she welcomed pictures. She explained she wears a burka to protect herself; it draws a line & protects her from "men who have bad intentions". She spoke about the role of women in families & the strong bonds that women form with other women to reinforce their families.

After the mosques, we went to lunch & had lamb skewers, rice, and turkish bread. During lunch, a man came over to us because he suspected we were from the United States. Once he saw this was true- he conveyed a deep need to tell us that the Iranian people are not as portrayed by the media in a correct way. He said that they are good people & seemed to think that this important message could be conveyed by us to friends back at home. He offered a gift of a candy, a smile and a handshake. Trueth be known, we thought this would lead to someone trying to sell us a rug- we were wrong- no rugs, no items to sell- just friendship. I share these stories as wonderful examples where the world-wide community is more similar than different. And much more interested in friendship than war.

We visited ancient towers- as old as several millineums....a cistern underground that was truely amazing & then went to a bazaar of crafts & goods. We ended our day with a dinner of grilled lamb with walnuts, and pomegrantit glaze with rice & vegetables- fantastic!

****more pictures later!

Asian Turkey

Today was great. The CON's (Chief Officer of Nursing) wife took me for a tour of Istanbul on the Asian side. We traveled along town using transportation system called 'xxxxxx. We had a wonderful turkish lunch with Turkish tea, followed by a ferry crusie along the Bosphorus ( see picture at top). The main road in our area was called Bagdad road- it actaully was like walking down Fifth Avenue in NYC- The highest priced shops were here- Rolex, Burberry, and all the stores that I never heard of in my life, As you continued along, you rounded a curse and headed back up the road & it then turned into the "low end" shops, flashy lights, and viola- you seem to be in an area just like Times Square! In between all of this were fish markets, everyday shops, and lots of amazing waterfront alond the Bosphorus. This 2nd picture is an island in the water that was called the "Maiden's Tower"- now a resturant & nightclub.

Istanbul at first blush

We arrived to the bustling, vibrant city of Istanbul at nearly sunset last eve. If you think our beltway traffic is crazy, you need only to come to Istanbul! For our first few days, we are about 30 miles outside of Istanbul, on the Asian side of Turkey. The trip from Ataturk Airport was grueling- about 1 & 1/2 hour of shoulder to shoulder driving along very narrow highways. Our hired driver must of thought he was driving a motorcycle. We were not deterred- we have driven in Rome- no difference!

It is true- there are so many people living in Istanbul- 15 million. We drove through the old city- past the absolutely amazing beautiful old walls of Constantinople, many, many magnificent mosques with their minarets (spikes) rising to the heavens, and rode along side the beautiful Bosphorus Strait & the sea of Marmara. Sunsets are quite nice, as seen from our hotel room(above).

I have to tell you that in Istanbul, it is customary to offer a pretty lavish buffet as part of your room. Today, for breakfast, I had greek yogurt with granola, honey, and currants. They serve their honey with the actual honeycomb that you scrape into a tiny ramkin. Also- there were meats, cheeses- a wonderful assortment of feta cheeses- olives, cucmbers, tomatoes, fresh breads, and of course- hot dishes made with eggs or mushrooms. Finally, turkish coffee or tea & apricot juice!

Today, Bob is consulting at the Anadolu Medical Center (above) and I am geting ready to head out to town to explore the Asian side of Turkey. Weather is beautiful- 55 degrees and sunny!