Istanbul - Hagia Sophia

Between the Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque sits the magnificent Hagia Sophia. Construction was begun in the sixth century on what was to be the largest church in the world for a thousand years. It was ordered by Emperor Justinian and took thousands of workers and more than five years to complete. It was later converted to a mosque in 1453 when the city was conquered by the Ottomans. In 1935 it was declared by Kemal Ataturk to be a national monument.

It is a little unnerving to walk into the huge structure and have your guide tell you that the domes are unsupported. Still, they have survived centuries of earthquakes and war and though repaired several times, have never fallen. I figured they might last at least long enough for our tour.

The site of the church actually dates back to the time of Constantine in the 4th century and had another church structure on it. It burned to the ground during an uprising. The next emperor rebuilt it but again it was destroyed. Perhaps that's why Justinian decided on stone and marble.

Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Constantinople in 1453, ordered the church to be converted to a mosque. Architects of the day built several minarets around it and the altar was replaced by a mirab that sat to one side slightly so that those who attended for prayer would know in which direction Mecca lay.

When the church had become a mosque, many of the original mosaics were covered over with plaster. At the time it was a way of ridding the structure of its Christian influence. It actually turned out to be a way of preserving the ancient works of art. When the museum began to remove the plaster, the mosaics were discovered in remarkable condition for their age.

The mosaic over the imperial door that leads to the narthex is one of Christ blessing the emperor. This door was used only by the emperors. The mosaic dates back to the 9th or 10th century. The other mosaic I pictured is of Mary and the two emperors instrumental in building Hagia Sophia, Constantine and Justinian. This mosaic dates to the 10th century and is in the south entrance. You actually see it reflected in a mirror as you exit the church so if you go, be sure to turn around and look at it as those entering that way would have seen it.

Needless to say, I think you can get a feel for the immensity of the inside building. The center dome is 182 1/2 feet high and 102 1/2 feet wide. Impressive when you consider the age in which it was built and its standing the test of time and nature.

Look at the photo of the front of the inside of the church. The golden mirab is sitting off slightly to the right of the center stained glass window where the altar of the church was originally. That is the direction of Mecca.

We finished our wandering on our own and went out to the meeting place in the courtyard where there is a small cafe. I had been seeing carts loaded with pomegranates and the vendors squeezing them for juice. Somehow it just looked really good so I asked for one. Our guide got it for me but neglected to tell me that is would be a bit sweeter if you got it mixed with orange juice. Bob and I drank it and discovered new pucker power. Somehow I remember pomegranates being sweeter than that.

Once our group had gathered again, we were off to find lunch. It turned out to be a real treat.

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Istanbul - The Topkapi Palace

Our first stop on our privately arranged tour with Aykut Ayik from Istanbul Custom Tours (IstanbulLocalGuides.com) was the Topkapi Palace. Despite the traffic snarls we were still a little ahead of the large excursion groups from the several ships that were in port that day. As we made our way through the huge public gardens and toward the gate, one of the guys in our group asked about the harem. Ike smiled wryly and said he would tell us all about that later.

The palace was originally begun by order of Sultan Mehmet II after his army stormed and sacked Constantinople (the old name for Istanbul) in 1453. It served as home to the sultans and the royal court until the mid-19th century. During their long reign, successive sultans built Topkapi into the huge complex it is today.

There are four inner courtyards and it was impossible to explore everything in the time we had and still see the other things on our list for Istanbul. The magnificent tile work is amazing. Colorful and detailed, it reminded me a bit of the palace we saw in Bangkok.

I can't begin to tell you what all the rooms were that we saw. Some were like buildings of their own. Of course one that made a big impression on everyone was the circumcision room. Very elaborate. Richly decorated in reds and blues with stained glass windows. Quite a room for such a delicate operation.

A large open patio-type area with a pool and a fountain in the middle was where we were told the sultan would have his breakfast. Under a canopied area, he could sit and eat and look out over the city.

Gold enhanced everything. There was no doubting that wealth built the palace.

Since the palace is a museum, there are several buildings that hold collections of artifacts including many of the gifts given to the sultans over the years. One was said to be a huge huge diamond. We didn't get to see that particular exhibit since the tour buses had by then deposited their eager visitors and the lines were way too long to stand in. We did get in to see the exhibit of religious artifacts. We saw the "rod of Moses," a jar from the house of Joseph as well as the cloak of Muhammed and something that was said to contain a clipping of his beard.

 One of the other exhibits we were able to go through was the armory where sabers, decorative knives and lots of armor was on display. And yes, they looked just like the ones in all the Arabian movies--curved and jeweled.

 On our way out of the palace, we noticed a commotion and our guide said that there was to be a marching band that was scheduled to play that day. We lingered a bit eager to see it. The men began lining up in traditional garb with their instruments and we were treated to the Turkish version of a marching band. It was great!

Oh yes, about the harem. Ike said it was not so much what many people fancied. There was quite a hierarchy with the sultan's mother being the head. Often the sultan was given female slaves as a gift and they would become part of the harem. It was in a sense an area of education in that the women were taught music, literature, and courtly ceremony before being presented to the sultan. Of course he did get to chose from the group his wives (four were allowed but not all sultans took that many) and concubines. Contrary to popular belief, the girls were allowed to leave after nine years of service. Many had marriages arranged for them. They were highly sought by other high officials because of their education.

I'm not sure if that disillusioned the guys in our group who perhaps had other ideas of what may have gone on in the harem. We didn't get a chance to explore that area since it was an extra entrance fee and time was getting away from us. We still had lots to see in Istanbul.

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Wordless Wednesday

Istanbul - Gateway to the Black Sea

I must fess up. I didn’t arrive at Istanbul expecting to like the place. A large city. Crowded. A culture difficult to understand. Nope, I wasn’t going to like it. I love being wrong.

The city sits at the mouth of the Bosporus which is the strait that connects the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea. The Bosporus also divides Europe from Asia. Istanbul stretches across both continents. In the picture of the Bosporus, Europe is on the left and Asia on the right.

Istanbul conjures up lots of exotic images of sultans, harems, Lawrence-of-Arabia type images. While some of that exists in the historical aspects of the city, the modern day Istanbul is a bustling place with much to see and do. We had arranged for a private tour with fourteen others from our ship and met our guide, Aykut Ayik from Istanbul Custom Tours (IstanbulLocalGuides.com), early in the morning near the terminal. He was there right on time and our group crossed the street to a waiting mini bus and began what was to be a spectacular day.

The Bosporus-Europe on left, Asia right

The streets of Istanbul are notoriously busy and congested but with Ike’s (Aykut’s nickname) commentary we hardly noticed. The slow moving bus also allowed for lots of looks at shops, restaurants, and hotels as we passed by. Ike began with some of the history of Istanbul. The name was originally Constantinople when Constantine I, the Roman emperor, made it the new eastern capitol of the Roman Empire on May 11, 330. Constantinople remained the principal name through the Byzantine era and was the most common name used for it in the West until the early 20th century.

The name Istanbul can be traced back to the 10th century however and is from a Greek phrase that translate to “in the city” or “to the city.” The city has also been nicknamed “The City on Seven Hills” because the oldest part of the city was built on seven hills on the historic peninsula and each hill bears a historic mosque. At prayer times throughout the day, (if I recall correctly there are 5) loud speakers from the minarets echo throughout the streets a muslim chant that is a reminder for all to take time to pray.

 

On March 28, 1930, the Turkish authorities officially requested foreigners to adopt Istanbul as the sole name in their own languages.

With a lot more history involving battles and struggles for power, Ike filled our time until we arrived at our first stop, the Topakai Palace. We had seen the expansive palace from our ship as we arrived in the evening the night before. Now we were about to enter into the world of the sultans of Turkey and learn just what a harem was all about. We were surprised.

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Through My Lens - Istanbul

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Cruising the Dardanelles

The Prinsendam (Holland America Lines) arrived at the entrance to the Dardenelles after crossing the Aegean Sea from Gythion in Greece. Did we travel the same route as Paris as he headed for Troy? One can only guess. Still off to our starboard side, somewhere in the distance was the excavated city they believe was the ancient city of Troy, sight of one of the many historical aspects of this narrow strait through the northwest section of Turkey that connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara and then eventually the Black Sea.

Out on the back deck of our ship with breakfast in front of us, we listened to the narrative of some of the historical and more interesting aspects of the area. Even without all the history, one could just sit back and take in all the rolling hills and interesting towns, boats, ferries, and ships and the calm waters of the Dardanelles. The water appeared calm but it is my understanding that the water actually flows two ways through the Dardanelles. The surface water flows from the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean and below that current the water flows in an opposite direction to the Sea of Marmara.

The two straits, the Dardanelles and the Bosporus, during the Byzantine and Ottoman empires were essential to the defense of Constantinople which is now modern day Istanbul. For the most part, Turkey has remained in control of the straits and the traffic allowed to pass through. In the 18th century, the concern in the western world was that Russia would take control of the straits as it attempted to expand its power in the area. In 1841, England, France, Russia, Austria, and Prussia agreed to close the Straits to all but Turkish warships in peacetime. This convention was reaffirmed by the Congress of Paris (1856) at the end of the Crimean War and, theoretically at least, remained in force until World War I.

It was at this point in our commentary, that things began to come together for us. You see, we’ve been to Australia many times and have heard the term ANZAC and understood that it had to do with military action but we never understood its importance until now. The Gallipoli Campaign or the Dardanelles Campaign took place between April 25, 1915, and January 9, 1916, during World War I. It was a joint effort between British and French forces to secure a sea route to Russia. The attempt failed. The effort had also included forces from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and it was their first major battle.

Along the way, points of interest of the battle were pointed out to us and especially for the Australian and New Zealand passengers. ANZAC day in those countries is April 25 and is regarded as a day for the commemoration of the sacrifice of so many in that battle.

On a lighter note, as we passed one town, with a good camera lens or a great pair of binoculars, you could pick out the shape of the Trojan horse used in the movie. And, a surprise to all of us, we passed a Russian submarine on its way out to the Aegean.

  

Once we entered the Sea of Marmara, we spent the rest of the day enjoying sunshine and sea breezes as we made our way to Istanbul.

Port of Call - Gythion, Greece

History. Sometimes it is unfathomable when your mind has to wrap itself around the ancient history of some areas of the world. Gytheio or Gythion, Greece, is one of those places. At one time it was the main port for Sparta. And yes, there is lots of mythology tied to it.

As the myths go, Gytheio came into being after a squabble between Apollo and Hercules over the Dephic tripod which Hercules had stolen when Xenocleia, the priestess of the Delphi oracle, refused to give him a divination on how he could be cured of his illness. She thought his illness had something to do with the slaughter of Iphitos. Apollo rushed to get the tripod back and a terrible fight broke out between the two of them. Zeus put an end to the fight with one of his famous thunderbolts. The place where the two gods settled their differences was named “Gy Theon” (Land of Gods) which later gave rise to the name Gytheio.

Gytheio was a Phoenician trading port in ancient times and the port of Sparta. The Athenians destroyed the port in 445 B.C. but the Spartans rebuilt the fortifications and held it until 195 B.C. when it was conquered by the Romans. Luxurious homes with mosaic floors and baths were built and a huge aqueduct brought water to the area from far away.

There is a lot more history mixed with mythology that goes with the area but today, it is a quaint fishing town, still a gateway for tourists to visit Sparta. We wandered its streets, visited the lighthouse on a small island that is now connected to the mainland with a road and drank in the view of green hillsides and colorful homes built into them. The water in the harbor was sparkling clean and teeming with small fish. We paused for a moment to watch a fisherman as he sat in the back of his boat and mended one of his nets.

The boardwalk was lined with open air restaurants offering a varied menu of fresh fish and delicacies to enjoy under a large umbrella-covered table. The proprietors were just beginning to start their day as we passed. Sidewalks were being swept and washed for the day ahead. We sat for a time in the park near a large enclosure filled with all sorts of birds including chickens, pheasants and small turkeys. Were they for display? Or for restaurant supply?

  

Our time was short in Gytheio but it was a delightful stop in the Mediterranean just before our entering the Dardanelles for our trek into the Black Sea. Like Paris, we set sail from the harbor toward Troy.

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Barcelona - The Red Line

The red line circuit of the Barcelona Bus Turistic, the hop-on-hop-off open topped bus we used to tour the city was the longest loop of the three lines offered. Because there was some sort of race event that Sunday morning, we had to board a couple of blocks up the road from the Placa de Cataluyna where the loop started. We chose to stay on the bus and do the whole loop before jumping off at any stops. We noticed previously that as the day progresses, it becomes more difficult to get a seat on the top deck and it is nearly impossible to see much from the inside of the bus and we wanted to be able to enjoy the sites along the whole loop.

Our morning was a bit cloudy and not nearly as nice as the two previous days had been. We again passed by the building whose exterior resembled the skin of a bluish dragon, a Gaudi design and the apartment building called the Casa Mila built by Gaudi also between 1906-1911. The balconies are curved representing the motion of the waves. Gaudi was really into all aspects of nature.

Passing by several other landmarks and parks we eventually arrived at the Placa d’Espanya the square that marks the gateway to Montjuic the setting for the 1929 International Exhibition and the 1998 Olympic Games. Looking up the hill from the square you see the large Museum of National Art. There are several levels of gardens and fountains that come alive in the evening, the center fountain being dubbed the Magic Fountain where the water enhanced by colored lights dances to music provided through loud speakers. It is similar to the fountains in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas or the even larger fountains in Dubai. The fountains did not run during the day.

Our bus passed by the large stadium used in the summer Olympics of 1998. The base of the Olympic flame still stands there. On the other side of the street, built into the hillside are the pools used for the diving competition. As we looked over them I could only imagine that a diver would get the sensation of being even higher that the dive platform actually was as he looked out over the vista of the city below.

The seaside soon spread out below us to the right as we passed beneath the tower of the Teleferic de Montjuic, the cable car that gives breathtaking views of the port as you ride from the hillside to the World Trade Center below in the port area. Had it been running that early in the morning, we would have exited the bus and taken it down since we had been over this territory of the red line once already the previous day.

Passing the port area again and heading back to the center of the city we again passed by the Gothic area of the old city and headed back around past the National Art Museum and exited the bus at the Miro museum. Joan Miro was originally from this area. The museum was interesting and gave us a glimpse of the man, his life and work and we enjoyed a tasty tomato and cheese sandwich in its café.

La Rambla was alive with tourists and locals when we strolled back to our hotel late in the afternoon to relax a bit and change for dinner. Our plan was to return to the Magic Fountain and take in the show. We rode the red line once again to the Placa d’Espanya and walked around the square to find a place to eat. A place called Tapas Tapas looked inviting and we settled into a seat by the window and ordered a small salad and a larger portion of paella to share which was obviously a popular dish of the area since we saw it advertised everywhere. It was all quite good.

The area lining the walkway up to the fountains and the museum began to fill with people as the nine o’clock hour neared. We found a seat on a park bench and when the fountains began to spout, we worked our way up to the large circular Magic Fountain for the show. It was cleverly done with lights and lasers and music and enjoyed by the admiring crowd.

  

When the show was over, we opted to walk the kilometer or so back to our hotel. We’d been on a bus all day long. It was a cool fresh evening and the road back was a busy one with a center pedestrian area much like La Rambla. We promised ourselves we would hail a cab if we felt uneasy at any spot but the walk was well lit and traveled by families as well as couples and others out for an evening stroll. It was a lovely ending to our stay in Barcelona. The next morning we would be boarding the Holland America’s Prinsendam for our cruise around the Black Sea.

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Having finished the blue loop of the Barcelona Bus Turistic in the morning and early afternoon, we took the red line a few stops to where the green line intercepted. By then we were ready for some coffee and an afternoon snack. We found ourselves in Port Olimpic which was built when the 1992 Summer Olympics was held in Barcelona. The area is now bustling with a huge marina, lots of restaurants, a casino, and beach areas.

We found a strip of small cafes and one that had a sign featuring churros and chocolate, another delicacy on our list of to-try while in Barcelona. We ordered one cup of chocolate and a plate of churros along with two coffees. A paddle constantly stirred the chocolate in a large urn on the counter. When our server set the cup under the spigot, the chocolate just oozed out. It is really more like a thick soup than hot chocolate that you drink. It is creamy dark chocolate and you dip the honeyed churros into the chocolate to enjoy them together. When we ran out of churros, we just spooned the chocolate out to finish it. Need I say it was heavenly?

The fresh sea air mixed with the warm sun and began to lull our senses but we plugged in our earphones to the commentary once again on the bus. On the green line, the bus took us through what was once a large industrial area but is now a more modern office building/hotel area. The city’s oldest cemetery to be built outside its walls is located along this line in Poblenou.

We also passed a remarkable park called Parc Diagonal Mar. Diagonal Mar refers to a main artery of Barcelona that cuts diagonally across the city and ends at the sea (mar). The park was designed by an architect, Enric Miralles. The curving tubes are to remind you of the motion of the seas. Our first reaction was to think of our grandson who loves designing roller coasters on his computer.

The green line circuit was finished in about 40 minutes since we didn’t get off anywhere to explore and we returned to the end of La Rambla and walked back to our hotel, passing by the tapas cafes and the florists and stopping on occasion to admire the human statues. There were not so many as we remember in the past. Somehow these entertainers manage to dress and use makeup that makes them look exactly like a statue. It is quite startling when you walk past one and they move.

Our dinner that evening was not the best of choices and certainly did not come up to the standard of our wonderful dinner the previous evening. We found what looked like a nice little place that was a pasta bar. You ordered your pasta and trimmings and they cooked it up right there at the counter for you. The small restaurant had tables with square stools for chairs and looked clean enough. Unfortunately while Bob was paying for our meal, I happened to look down through the glass in the counter which topped a wooden lattice. There, crawling through one of the little squares of wood was a roach.  When we sat down to wait for our plates, I mentioned that if anything on the plate moved we shouldn’t eat it. The food was okay but the appetite had suffered.

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