Day 1 - Istanbul

 

 

(Alex) Started at 11am with the most magnificent Kim driving us to the airport.  What a sendoff.  We flew from BWI to JFK (New York) and really enjoyed JFK's early 60's décor (and smells).  After a overcrowded wait, we boarded our flight to Istanbul.  9 1/2 weeks (or hours) later we landed a bit exhausted.  Jon slept a good 4 hours even though I kept elbowing him and I slept a big fat zero due to both of my neighbors moving around too much (note that we weren't exactly in first class here).

 

Our guide, Hakan, picked us up from the airport.  We had prearranged an experienced native to show us the sites of Istanbul.  He was all that and more - the more turned out to be a VERY active political tirade against the Turkish government.  It was from a good place - Hakan was there at Taksim Square for the public gassing and general abuse.  He had hired a car for us for the day and we started out after he felt us out about politics.  He firmly warned us about engaging any of the Turkish about their political views.  This was clearly motivated by the requirement that we only hear HIS views on the subject.  It may sound painful but it was actually quite a bit of fun.  He was very engaging.

 

(Alex) We headed out to Taksim Square but since you can't drive close we walked a bit through the neighborhood.  We headed along the famous Istiklal Street, full of shops and places like the old flower market above that was recently turned into a collection of restaurants.

 

(Alex) We passed these guys sending up a balloon heated by a burning oil cloth at it's base.  It was pretty until it wacked into the side of the building.

 



 

(Alex)  Remember Jon hasn't taken a shower yet.  Poor Hakan.

(Alex) So the story here is that when the police were throwing hundreds of gas canisters into the packed street Starbucks shut their doors and wouldn't let any of the crowd in scrambling for safety.  For the two weeks following the incident, the community has been boycotting Starbucks - hence the barricade in the middle of a busy business day.  Editors note - every other Starbucks (on most blocks of the city) were open and doing a fine business.

 

Yeah - I had no idea what some of this fruit was.  As you can see - I'm not as healthy anymore...  (well, Wendy feeds me salads and all, but these varieties were new to me).

 

 

(Alex) Jon lights up all our lives.  Actually these cool lanterns were everywhere.

Really, we're in San Francisco.

(Alex) This was really very cool.  After the Taksim Square incident, graffiti was everywhere demeaning the government.  The government quickly came in an cleaned up what it could, but it wasn't allowed to touch the French Embassy.  It may be hard to see, but the French Embassy chose to keep the damming words up for all to see.  

We finally get to Taksim Square.  Nothing really phenomenal to see except for an excessive number of police vehicles.

 

Just like Starbucks - the populous totally banned this (once favorite) hamburger joint on the Square.  The owner vocally shared that he was happy the government would be clearing out these "son's of bitches" soon.  Bad business move.

Feline protest.

Feline faceoff.  Really, there a LOT of cats in this city.  Turks love cats.  You can find them just petting these wild cats all over the place.  Kinda liked that.

 This is the Hippodrome of Constantinople - where all of the classes of the age would unite to race each other.  Nice paving stones?

Authentic Egyptian obelisk dating 2000BC that was placed here in the late 4th century.

 

 

 

Love this - This guy, Proglo, was convicted and then killed because of some random murder. After the guilty verdict, they erased his name from this very prominent monument.  Then, he was acquitted.  I'm sure he was greatly relieved to learn that his name was reinstated. 

The Blue Mosque.  Built in the 16th century.  Don't sit on it.

 

Bosphorus Bridge - between Europe and Asia.  We're on the European side.  We look very sophisticated.

 

Baked potato stands - you buy one then they load it with piles of all kinds of goodies as shown behind the lovely Jon.  He blocks a lot of it.

 

The Hagia Sophia.  For nearly a thousand years, the world's largest church built in the 6th century.  It's now a museum but first it was a Christian church then a Mosque, converted in the 1920's by Attaturk at the end of the Ottoman empire.  All of the Christian décor was plastered over but they've uncovered some of the good parts.

 

For starters - we got yelled at for standing in the holy part of the Blue Mosque.  There is an observation area, but it was too crowded for us.  In addition, how can you not show off our pretty skirts?  (had to wear due to our shorts)

Outside the Blue Mosque - no hurt feelings on either side.

Street vendors rule here.  Literally.  Three on every block.  Grilled corn on the cob beats cotton candy.



The Basilica Cistern: One of hundreds of ancient water reserves for the city.  This one was built in the 6th century.  Best part was they were built with 'junk' saved from all the ruins.  Columns were all different and had a beautiful variety of styles.

Rugs are a big thing here.  But this shop was pretty incredible.  The shop owner invited us in for a 'special viewing'.  After heading down lots of stairs to their basement and into a special secure room, we got to see his personal collection.  The rugs were all 100% silk, and the number of knots per inch ranged as high as 9,000.  Each individual piece of silk was hand knotted.  The special collection ranged from $125,000 skyward.  Big thanks to the owner Nicholas for taking us downstairs, however we had to promise to bring the girls back to pick something out just to get out of the place.

The Grand Bazar:  An overwhelming shopping mall.  3000+ shops and neither of us could find anything that went with our riding boots.  The Silk Road practically ended here.  Even the Venetians came here to shop.  We're just picky. 

This place rocked.  Best meatballs in Istanbul according to Hakan.  The menu really only had one item on it and you sit and get served it, no matter what you try to order.  Jon was definitely in heaven.  

And here Alex was in heaven.  Spotted in the window, this dark chocolate pudding had coconut, pistachio, and graham cracker topping and although it was designed to kill me I happily fell on the sword.

We're in a square between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.  Jon used his extensive camera skills to take these awesome night shots.