Istanbul, 31st May
We sailed up the Dardanelles and past Gallipolli at around 6.30 am today.
Pretty - and narrow. I see why it was an important place during wars.
We sailed up the Dardanelles and past Gallipolli at around 6.30 am today.
Pretty - and narrow. I see why it was an important place during wars.
The sail into Istanbul was stunning.
And then it was 'call to prayer time' and all the many many mosques started. The sound was bouncing of al the buildings and was so very good.
The harbour is so busy with up to 12 ferries at a time zipping around.
I went for a walk along the river. It was a Sunday afternoon so everyone was out enjoying life.
Then I had a cup of 'Orange Tea'. It sure was orange.
And a pretzel - which is really a great bread roll.
Gallipolli 1st June
SO - I have wifi in the bus but it is to bumpy to type . I'll add words later.
But we got up at stupid o'clock to meet in the lounge at 7. goodbyes then out to meet our guide for our private tour to Gallipoli.
They made us get off their ship. This luggage belongs to all three of us - Not just to Tim.
Around Istanbul
I was doing a 5 hour trip each way. So I got my bed softener (cause yes I am a sook who takes her own softener) and made a nest in the back.
And a pretzel - which is really a great bread roll.
Serious police car!
All the food vendors sold really wholesome foods like hot chestnuts, corn on the cob, bags of various seeds like sunflower or pumpkin.
This guy had a string of balloon in the water and you paid to use his slug gun (I hope) to shoot balloons.
There was some huge concert on at one end of town and tens of thousands of people were heading to the venue. I was walking int he opposite direction and it was like swimming up a river. The people who were not going were setting up by the river for an evening of relaxing. This lady was breaking up wood and starting her little brazier on the foot bath. Its dark now and we can see a few fires - like old fashion bonfires burning in arks around the city.
Gallipolli 1st June
SO - I have wifi in the bus but it is to bumpy to type . I'll add words later.
But we got up at stupid o'clock to meet in the lounge at 7. goodbyes then out to meet our guide for our private tour to Gallipoli.
Around Istanbul
Breakfast - Turkish style.I have discovered a new piece of awesomeness. Smooth Feta in honey. Wow. Yum
Think the bus is big enough for three of us? Oh that's right - our luggage.
I was doing a 5 hour trip each way. So I got my bed softener (cause yes I am a sook who takes her own softener) and made a nest in the back.
A man walking his sheep.
Gallipoli sites
LONE PINE
Turkish cemetery
Trenches
I got back to the hotel and settled in by 11pm. My Hotel is sensational with an amazing bed! Yay. Great linen. BIG towels. Great pillows. I'm happy.
Istanbul - not Constantinople.
2nd June
If only I could stop singing the song.
Istanbul was Constantinople Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople Been a long time gone, Constantinople Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night (Oh) every gal in Constantinople (Oh) lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople (Oh) so if you've a date in Constantinople (Oh) she'll be waiting in Istanbul
Even old New York Was once New Amsterdam Why they changed it I can't say People just liked it better that way
So take me back to Constantinople No, you can't go back to Constantinople Been a long time gone, Constantinople Why did Constantinople get the works? That's nobody's business but the Turks'
Doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo doo / ohhhhhhh ohh ohh ohh Doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo doo / ohhhhhh ohh ohh ohh Doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo / ohhhh ohh ohh ohh ohhh Istanbul (Istanbul)
I got up in the morning and headed off to explore.
All the cafes look like this.
Just up the road from my hotel is the super touristy attractions.
Old city wall
I found the Highia Sophia. But since it is ginormous thats probably not all that clever!
Sultans Palace
Then I found a guide who wanted to take me on a four hour tour form about $40 - so off we went. Yay - I was not going to get lost!!!!!
Ataturk Monument
More city wall
Archeological Museum.
Medusa - but she only turns guys to stone.
And this is why it is called that.
More stuff - Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Egyptian. Its all here.
Apollo - I was at his temple a few days ago.
Around town.
Not the Blue Mosque - Yeni Cami or The New Mosque - 'cause it was built in 1660. Very new!
Now remember this is not "the Blue Mosque" so named for its use of blue tiles!!!!!!!!!! Looks pretty blue to me. But also very impressive.
There were about eight of these booths selling bird seed. Well fed pidgins.
The Spice Markets - But really the "All Things Delicious Markets".
Lunch was 'Cig Kofte'. Looked a lot like dog poo - but apparently it was potatoes and spice - lots of spice. —
Smeared out on the flat bread - again very like dog poo
Cig Kofte. Sauces and vegetables
Cig Kofte. Rolled up and delicious. Spick but delicious.
The Funicular - The second oldest subway in the world.
Next stop - Taksim Square is a major tourist and restaurant spot. The work taksim means division and it is the spot where the original water pipes divided off to the city. HAHAH It's always busy.
Taksim Square has a public space in a really nice old building where artists can rent space and put on exhibitions. I went and looked at some really wanky art.
The Gypsies start their kids off early. Never too early to get into the family business.
St. Anthony of Padua Church, or Sant'Antonio di Padova Church, is a basilica and the largest church of the Roman Catholic Church in Istanbul.
Obelisk of Theodosius (on the left) is the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharo Thutmose III and was re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD - after he stole it form the Egyptians.
The Walled Obelisk (also known as the Constantine Obelisk) is on the right. Its original construction date is unknown, but it is named after Constantine VII, who repaired it in the tenth century.
Now the Blue Mosque.
The Sultan
Ahmed Mosque or the Blue Mosque was built between the years of
1609-1616. It’s know as the Blue Mosque
because of the blur tiles inside.
The Blue Mosque complex is one of the
largest building complex in Istanbul. Some
of these structures have not survived.
Ahmed built it with money
from the treasury rather than with the spoils of war – as he had had no great
victories. The mosque was built on
the site of the palace of the Byzantine emperors.
The Haghia Sophia is supposedly one of the finest architectural works in the world. It was originally built as a church. Construction began during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine 1, but was only completed in AD 360 during the reign of Constantine II.
The
original was burnt down in an uprising in 415. It was re built and re burnt
down in 532. It was rebuilt as “an unparalleled place of worship”. Material was
brought from all Mediterranean countries as well as from Pagan temples
including the Temple of Atremis – which we have seen!
When Sultan Mehmed the
Conqueror , took Istanbul in 1441 he changed it to a mosque. It became a
place of enormous significance for Muslims of the Ottoman Empire. Various
Sultans added minarets over time.
The Milion Stone
In Ancient Roman times, this used to be the starting point for all of the roads reaching Constantinople and the origin point used for the calculation of the distance to here.
Today I went to a
Hamam – A traditional Turkish bath. But it’s not a bath. It’s a traditional
Turkish Massage.
FUN – You strip
off to a tiny pare of undies then go in and lie on a hot marble slab. Huge -10
m across under huge heat lamps/sunshine directed in. You lie there sweating –
with a heap of other people – for about 15 minutes. I thought I was going to
bust into flames. They your ‘attendant’ throws buckets of water over you. She
then scrubs you down with Gumption and a
scourer.
Then she covers
you in bubbles – heaps of silky slimy bubbles and scrubs you again with the
scourer. All this time you are lying on
the hot slab being tossed around.
More buckets of
water – then over near the tap for a hair wash.
Then into another
room for the massage.
It was fun! And
my skin is SO smooth.
Apparently you are not allowed to tie you horse to this bike rack.
I wandered back and did that horrid job called packing. My load has grown!
Tomorrow the journey begins!
Time to click ont he HOMEWARD tab!
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