Well, I guess this is the end of this blogging adventure...I'd like to start another one, but I am short on topics to discuss.
Anyway, thanks to everyone for reading my blog. Also another huge thanks to Adam for providing food, shelter and gifts while on the trip. And again deep thanks to Terri, Erika and mom for the monetary gifts. Thanks to Audra and Courtney for their advice.
Also, I just wanted to let you know that my two guidebooks were awesome. Rick Steve's was a great reference and guide. We would stand aside before entering a site and read about it and then continue; these are called walking tours. Or if we got confused we would refer to the guide to figure out where to go next. (Thank you, Rick, for listing WCs on your maps!)
The Time Out guide was also good and it was used as much, but for different purposes. This one was more pocket friendly and I was able to refer to it's maps quickly and effectively. It indexed all the streets, so they were easy to find. It also had better sections on shopping and restaurants. I know I was hesitant at first, but I am really glad I bought two guides! (Well, technically three, but Adam adopted it as his own...that one was OK by the way, as the best restaurant we went to the whole trip was listed in it.)
OK, any questions, feel free to ask me. Until next trip...
Monday, April 14, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
My five regrets
During the planning process of my trip, I enthusiastically picked a ton of stuff to do...of course, life happens and you can't do everything. Here is a list of things that I regret to have missed in Istanbul.
1. I missed the Bosphorous cruise...this was sadly due to bad weather and there wasn't much I could do about that. I mean we could've braved it and took a tour in the drizzle, but that is no fun.
2. I didn't get to see the Harem at Topkapı Palace...this was just annoying and poor Adam had to put up with my bad mood after the ordeal. Here's the thing, it's a total rip-off...you have to pay 10 TYL to get in to the palace and then buy an additional ticket for 10 TYL to get into the harem. When we got to the first ticket booth, we realized we only had enough cash to get into the palace and not to visit the palace. We asked the man at the ticket counter if we could use a credit card, he said yes, so we decided that we would give him cash and use the credit card at the Harem. Well, after looking around the grounds, we head over to the Harem just in time for the last tour. We try to pay with the credit card but the rude man tells us that the machine is already closed out...we don't have any lira and the sign clearly says lira only. A nice man standing behind us notices our problem and offers to do a quick exchange of dollars to lira for us. I refused because I didn't want to get ripped off again, although I am sure he was just being nice...then again, trusting the Turks was hard for me at this point. Anyway, what kind of place closes the credit card machines before it closes? That was the second time that happened to me in Turkey! Seriously, keep the credit card machines going until you've served your last customer!
3. I didn't go to the Asian side of Istanbul...Sadly, I can still only claim that I've only been to two continents. Had I been to Asian Istanbul, I could claim three. Perhaps if we would've done the cruise, I would've made it to the other shore. Or I could've taken one of my sightseeing days to go over there...but again, the weather was bad and there was so much to do on the European side. Adam made it to Asia because that is where his plane landed when he arrived. Lucky him...he's going to China in a month too, so he gets to really visit Asia. He wins. :(
4. I didn't try Turkish coffee...I don't really know how this feel off my radar because I am a huge coffee lover. It just seemed that at mealtime I just wanted water or a delicious coca-cola. I also had apple tea a few times. In the morning, I always drank the hotel coffee and when I thought to try Turkish coffee it was too late at night or I wasn't in the mood. The NC Turkish festival will be here next weekend and perhaps I'll go to it just to try some coffee.
5. I didn't buy enough stuff...OK, this seems ridiculous considering I spent about $700 in a week. I know, I know. But I am still thinking about things that I should've bought but didn't. I am so glad I bought that costume, because I would really regret it if I hadn't. I surprisingly don't regret not going to the costume-makers. Anyway, I am still thinking about the beads I should've bought, the silk that was only 10 TYL a meter (cheap!), the coins and appliques for making costumes, and more pashmina.
I also got really stressed out about buying gifts for everyone. I felt so much pressure and looking at my pile now, it seems too light. I should've bought more! Adam thought it was crazy that I was spending so much money on presents for others, but it is hard for him to understand that everyone in my family expects something and I have a huge family! Not to mention all of the friends that also expect gifts. He only has me and his two parents. I love shopping and buying things for myself and others, but with the pushy salespeople and prices, I just didn't go all out like I wanted to...oh well. It's just stuff.
1. I missed the Bosphorous cruise...this was sadly due to bad weather and there wasn't much I could do about that. I mean we could've braved it and took a tour in the drizzle, but that is no fun.
2. I didn't get to see the Harem at Topkapı Palace...this was just annoying and poor Adam had to put up with my bad mood after the ordeal. Here's the thing, it's a total rip-off...you have to pay 10 TYL to get in to the palace and then buy an additional ticket for 10 TYL to get into the harem. When we got to the first ticket booth, we realized we only had enough cash to get into the palace and not to visit the palace. We asked the man at the ticket counter if we could use a credit card, he said yes, so we decided that we would give him cash and use the credit card at the Harem. Well, after looking around the grounds, we head over to the Harem just in time for the last tour. We try to pay with the credit card but the rude man tells us that the machine is already closed out...we don't have any lira and the sign clearly says lira only. A nice man standing behind us notices our problem and offers to do a quick exchange of dollars to lira for us. I refused because I didn't want to get ripped off again, although I am sure he was just being nice...then again, trusting the Turks was hard for me at this point. Anyway, what kind of place closes the credit card machines before it closes? That was the second time that happened to me in Turkey! Seriously, keep the credit card machines going until you've served your last customer!
3. I didn't go to the Asian side of Istanbul...Sadly, I can still only claim that I've only been to two continents. Had I been to Asian Istanbul, I could claim three. Perhaps if we would've done the cruise, I would've made it to the other shore. Or I could've taken one of my sightseeing days to go over there...but again, the weather was bad and there was so much to do on the European side. Adam made it to Asia because that is where his plane landed when he arrived. Lucky him...he's going to China in a month too, so he gets to really visit Asia. He wins. :(
4. I didn't try Turkish coffee...I don't really know how this feel off my radar because I am a huge coffee lover. It just seemed that at mealtime I just wanted water or a delicious coca-cola. I also had apple tea a few times. In the morning, I always drank the hotel coffee and when I thought to try Turkish coffee it was too late at night or I wasn't in the mood. The NC Turkish festival will be here next weekend and perhaps I'll go to it just to try some coffee.
5. I didn't buy enough stuff...OK, this seems ridiculous considering I spent about $700 in a week. I know, I know. But I am still thinking about things that I should've bought but didn't. I am so glad I bought that costume, because I would really regret it if I hadn't. I surprisingly don't regret not going to the costume-makers. Anyway, I am still thinking about the beads I should've bought, the silk that was only 10 TYL a meter (cheap!), the coins and appliques for making costumes, and more pashmina.
I also got really stressed out about buying gifts for everyone. I felt so much pressure and looking at my pile now, it seems too light. I should've bought more! Adam thought it was crazy that I was spending so much money on presents for others, but it is hard for him to understand that everyone in my family expects something and I have a huge family! Not to mention all of the friends that also expect gifts. He only has me and his two parents. I love shopping and buying things for myself and others, but with the pushy salespeople and prices, I just didn't go all out like I wanted to...oh well. It's just stuff.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Topkapı Palace overlook
A view of the Bosphorous from Mecidiye Pavilion. Notice the French tourists in the background, and of course, the bad weather.
My five least favorite things about Istanbul
I made a top five best things, to stay on the positive side, but I just have to vent about my least favorite things too...
1. The tourist traps...everyone is trying to get you. They want your money, they want to rip you off. I can't stand being hounded by people at every turn. If a vendor is in his shop and he sees you start to walk by, he will rush out the door and start calling you in. I hate not being able to look at people, it feels rude, but you just have to there. If you looked at everyone who talked to you, you would never get out alive. These people are vultures and their behavior is despicable.
2. The smoke...you can smoke everywhere except inside mosques and museums...at the airport, in the bazaars, in restaurants, etc. It is awful. People are so rude about their cigarettes and cigars. I don't mind hookah smoke, but smoke in general is so nasty. Don't get me wrong, I respect people's rights to do what they wish to their bodies, but when I don't have a choice about what I breathe, then I get upset. It made me very grateful to live in the U.S. where the stuff is banned in most public places.
3. The cars/traffic...people drive like maniacs over there. Turkey has one of the highest rates of of vehicle accidents in the world. People don't wear seat belts and they routinely ignore pedestrians, speed limits and other vehicles. Most of the taxis and shuttles I was in were not properly equipped. I often felt like I was on a wild roller coaster ride. My favorite shuttle driver from Novotel did drive very well and I was grateful for the seat belt.
4. The pollution...this is always one of my least favorite things about major urban areas, and it also going hand in hand with numbers 2 and 3. Over the skyline there is this brownish smog. Gross. The smell of diesel fumes was also quite strong and it gave me a headache. Additionally, when all of the street markets would close the amount of trash and crap left lying on the ground was disgusting.
5. I'm finding it hard to come up with a fifth one, so I'll just leave it at four. I could say that the high prices were annoying, but that goes with number 1. I also don't like crowds. These are things that are true of any major tourist destination though. I guess I am just not an urban woman.
1. The tourist traps...everyone is trying to get you. They want your money, they want to rip you off. I can't stand being hounded by people at every turn. If a vendor is in his shop and he sees you start to walk by, he will rush out the door and start calling you in. I hate not being able to look at people, it feels rude, but you just have to there. If you looked at everyone who talked to you, you would never get out alive. These people are vultures and their behavior is despicable.
2. The smoke...you can smoke everywhere except inside mosques and museums...at the airport, in the bazaars, in restaurants, etc. It is awful. People are so rude about their cigarettes and cigars. I don't mind hookah smoke, but smoke in general is so nasty. Don't get me wrong, I respect people's rights to do what they wish to their bodies, but when I don't have a choice about what I breathe, then I get upset. It made me very grateful to live in the U.S. where the stuff is banned in most public places.
3. The cars/traffic...people drive like maniacs over there. Turkey has one of the highest rates of of vehicle accidents in the world. People don't wear seat belts and they routinely ignore pedestrians, speed limits and other vehicles. Most of the taxis and shuttles I was in were not properly equipped. I often felt like I was on a wild roller coaster ride. My favorite shuttle driver from Novotel did drive very well and I was grateful for the seat belt.
4. The pollution...this is always one of my least favorite things about major urban areas, and it also going hand in hand with numbers 2 and 3. Over the skyline there is this brownish smog. Gross. The smell of diesel fumes was also quite strong and it gave me a headache. Additionally, when all of the street markets would close the amount of trash and crap left lying on the ground was disgusting.
5. I'm finding it hard to come up with a fifth one, so I'll just leave it at four. I could say that the high prices were annoying, but that goes with number 1. I also don't like crowds. These are things that are true of any major tourist destination though. I guess I am just not an urban woman.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
My top five favorite things about Istanbul
My top five favorite things about Istanbul:
1. Tulips...I will always remember the beautiful tulips everywhere. How pleasant and wonderful. Driving around NC today, I longed to see them along the highways, like in Istanbul.
2. The Turkish Bath...totally hedonistic and relaxing. After walking around the hilly city for a couple of days, the hamam is a nice respite from the crowds, filth and bustle. I would do this again in a heartbeat. It is worth returning to Istanbul for.
3. The food...The first night we ate out in Istanbul the food was divine. I longed for a meal that good for the rest of the trip. The Turkish breakfasts were delicious too. My two favorite things: cheese and bread galore...along with yogurt, fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, and pastries. It was so nice to fill up on a bunch of food before going out for the day. It was enough to tide me over until lunch, even after all of that walking. The desserts were awesome as well...namely baklava and Turkish delights.
4. Being close to the water...While I didn't get to take the Bosphorus cruise like I wanted, just being near the water was a great feeling. I loved opening the windows in the morning and looking out at the Sea of Marmara. Istanbul is also a hilly city, so you'd just be walking around checking out stuff and all of the sudden there is a beautiful vista in front of you. At night, the boats are sparkly on the water and during the day the water is such a rich blue color.
5. The age of it all...Here is the states everything is new, with the exception of native American pueblos and such. But in Istanbul, everything is old...it is practically the heart of civilization. Topkapi palace: 1470s, although built on the ruins of Byzantinium; Hagia Sophia: a.d. 530s, Galata Tower: 1348; the Grand Bazaar: 1461, although parts of it go back to the 9th century; Sultanhamet: early 1600s; the Egyptian Obelisk: 1500 BC, although it was moved to Istanbul in a.d. 390; the Hippodrome: 4th century a.d....I could go on and on. I don't claim to know much about architecture, but I sure do appreciate it. I mean, the engineering is amazing. Wish people would build stuff that hardy today.
1. Tulips...I will always remember the beautiful tulips everywhere. How pleasant and wonderful. Driving around NC today, I longed to see them along the highways, like in Istanbul.
2. The Turkish Bath...totally hedonistic and relaxing. After walking around the hilly city for a couple of days, the hamam is a nice respite from the crowds, filth and bustle. I would do this again in a heartbeat. It is worth returning to Istanbul for.
3. The food...The first night we ate out in Istanbul the food was divine. I longed for a meal that good for the rest of the trip. The Turkish breakfasts were delicious too. My two favorite things: cheese and bread galore...along with yogurt, fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, and pastries. It was so nice to fill up on a bunch of food before going out for the day. It was enough to tide me over until lunch, even after all of that walking. The desserts were awesome as well...namely baklava and Turkish delights.
4. Being close to the water...While I didn't get to take the Bosphorus cruise like I wanted, just being near the water was a great feeling. I loved opening the windows in the morning and looking out at the Sea of Marmara. Istanbul is also a hilly city, so you'd just be walking around checking out stuff and all of the sudden there is a beautiful vista in front of you. At night, the boats are sparkly on the water and during the day the water is such a rich blue color.
5. The age of it all...Here is the states everything is new, with the exception of native American pueblos and such. But in Istanbul, everything is old...it is practically the heart of civilization. Topkapi palace: 1470s, although built on the ruins of Byzantinium; Hagia Sophia: a.d. 530s, Galata Tower: 1348; the Grand Bazaar: 1461, although parts of it go back to the 9th century; Sultanhamet: early 1600s; the Egyptian Obelisk: 1500 BC, although it was moved to Istanbul in a.d. 390; the Hippodrome: 4th century a.d....I could go on and on. I don't claim to know much about architecture, but I sure do appreciate it. I mean, the engineering is amazing. Wish people would build stuff that hardy today.
Our last day in Istanbul
Our last day in Istanbul consisted of sleeping in deliciously late and more rain, of course. We hurried through breakfast and made our way into town...this time on foot...no shuttle needed! Yay!
In a previous post I told you that we changed hotels, so I wanted to tell you a little bit more about it. It is called Sarniç, the Turkish word for cistern, because it was built on one. Anyway our room was tiny with a little window that looks inside a shaft of some sort. The A/C was broken and it was so hot and stuffy in there. We also smelled cigarette smoke wafting in from other rooms. Gross. Oh and they were doing construction next door and the sound of demo was giving me a headache.
Other than that it was nice though, the staff was great, the room was clean and breakfast was delicious. Breakfast was on the terrace floor, but the terrace was closed due to bad weather. Oh well. We could still see the Bosphorus and the Blue Mosque up there. There is another mosque nearby and we could hear the blasting call to prayer a few times a day.
Back to our day...we were going to take the Bosphorus cruise but the weather was so bad that it would've been terrible. Plus, we missed the ferry due to oversleeping so we'd have to find a private tour. We walked around the neighborhood in Sutlanhamet, farther away from the hustle and bustle of tourists. We did some more shopping of course, and found some really quaint streets. I will post images when I get them from Adam.
It started raining hard so we stopped to eat in another tourist-type restaurant. The room had a green tinge to it and there were smokers galore. I hate smelling smoke when I am eating. Anyway, the food was good. I had a plate of appetizers and Adam had fried meatballs. We also tried Raiki which is the alcoholic beverage of Turkey. It is like Ouzo. Because it is so strong they mix it with water and it turns a milky color. It was gross. :) We got free apple tea to wash it all down with after dinner.
The we walked a few blocks in the rain to Eminounou. We stopped at a candy store and bought a bunch of Turkish Delights. They are so yummy. Then we went to the Spice Market. I just wanted to be out of the rain, so I picked a place indoors. We ran into more students from Adam's program. It was so funny how many we saw. We ate at the recommended Gulluoglu baklava store. Adam didn't like it but I thought it was delicious. We wandered around, bought more gifts and took lots of pictures.
We meandered back to the hotel and rested before dinner. We had the hotel staff take us to the cistern. They had a ceramic exhibition in it and Turkish radio was playing. Also, all of the lights are on sensors so as you walked down the floor lights would turn on. That was kind of neat and freaky at the same time.
For dinner we went to Doy Doy down the street from the hotel. It was not good and it made my stomach hurt. I had the eggplant kebab. Ugh...just thinking about it now makes me want to hurl. We had flavored tea for dessert and there was a huge group of Americans from a tour group there. That was so funny! You can really spot us a mile away.
After a bit more shopping, we retired to the room, packed and went to be mighty early. Waking up at 2:30 was a challenge, especially since we didn't sleep very well. Hmm...not as fun as I wanted my last day to be, but we had to make due with what we were given.
In a previous post I told you that we changed hotels, so I wanted to tell you a little bit more about it. It is called Sarniç, the Turkish word for cistern, because it was built on one. Anyway our room was tiny with a little window that looks inside a shaft of some sort. The A/C was broken and it was so hot and stuffy in there. We also smelled cigarette smoke wafting in from other rooms. Gross. Oh and they were doing construction next door and the sound of demo was giving me a headache.
Other than that it was nice though, the staff was great, the room was clean and breakfast was delicious. Breakfast was on the terrace floor, but the terrace was closed due to bad weather. Oh well. We could still see the Bosphorus and the Blue Mosque up there. There is another mosque nearby and we could hear the blasting call to prayer a few times a day.
Back to our day...we were going to take the Bosphorus cruise but the weather was so bad that it would've been terrible. Plus, we missed the ferry due to oversleeping so we'd have to find a private tour. We walked around the neighborhood in Sutlanhamet, farther away from the hustle and bustle of tourists. We did some more shopping of course, and found some really quaint streets. I will post images when I get them from Adam.
It started raining hard so we stopped to eat in another tourist-type restaurant. The room had a green tinge to it and there were smokers galore. I hate smelling smoke when I am eating. Anyway, the food was good. I had a plate of appetizers and Adam had fried meatballs. We also tried Raiki which is the alcoholic beverage of Turkey. It is like Ouzo. Because it is so strong they mix it with water and it turns a milky color. It was gross. :) We got free apple tea to wash it all down with after dinner.
The we walked a few blocks in the rain to Eminounou. We stopped at a candy store and bought a bunch of Turkish Delights. They are so yummy. Then we went to the Spice Market. I just wanted to be out of the rain, so I picked a place indoors. We ran into more students from Adam's program. It was so funny how many we saw. We ate at the recommended Gulluoglu baklava store. Adam didn't like it but I thought it was delicious. We wandered around, bought more gifts and took lots of pictures.
We meandered back to the hotel and rested before dinner. We had the hotel staff take us to the cistern. They had a ceramic exhibition in it and Turkish radio was playing. Also, all of the lights are on sensors so as you walked down the floor lights would turn on. That was kind of neat and freaky at the same time.
For dinner we went to Doy Doy down the street from the hotel. It was not good and it made my stomach hurt. I had the eggplant kebab. Ugh...just thinking about it now makes me want to hurl. We had flavored tea for dessert and there was a huge group of Americans from a tour group there. That was so funny! You can really spot us a mile away.
After a bit more shopping, we retired to the room, packed and went to be mighty early. Waking up at 2:30 was a challenge, especially since we didn't sleep very well. Hmm...not as fun as I wanted my last day to be, but we had to make due with what we were given.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I'm home.
I made it home with no problems. I am utterly exhausted and have been up for over 24 hours at this point, minus a few naps in the airport and on the plane. I am so happy to be home and I can't wait to cuddle with Banjo in my own bed! More follow-up posts on the trip soon.
Monday, April 7, 2008
My journey home begins...
So we're leaving soon...it's nice to travel but it's also nice to come home. We've had a busy couple of days. I hope to report on most of it, but I am not sure if I can tonight. I'll try to do it as soon as I get home so that the memories are still fresh in my mind.
Our wake up call is at 2:30 and our shuttle leaves at 3:00...that's the AM folks. Adam's flight leaves at 5:35 and mine is at 6:35. UGH. I hope to sleep on the plane this time around.
Here's a quick run down of Yesterday:
We checked out of the hotel and walked around Sultanhamet, saw the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia was nice but they are doing renovation, so half of the dome was covered in scaffolding. Next we had lunch...it was raining and it was really annoying. Then, we went to Topkapi Palace. It was nice...and huge. We were frustrated because we couldn't buy tickets to the harem (the best part) because they closed the credit card machine and we didn't have any cash. Ok, so at this point it is raining and we're tired and grumpy.
We walked back to the hotel and rested until a shuttle came to pick us up for the belly dance show. It was at the Galata Tower which is a huge tower originally used as a lighthouse, then a prison, then something else, and now it is home to a cheesy touristy Turkish night show. There was a Sultan, live musicians Turkish dancers, belly dancers and a lounge singer. The first belly dancer wasn't very good. She looked sooooo bored and her technique was terrible. The other belly dancer was much better. I'll post pictures soon.
The lounge singer called the "Showman" was funny. He pulled me up on stage and had me dance up there with other ladies from different countries, then he made Adam come up and we danced in front of everyone! HA! It was hilarious.
The food was terrible, but the views were spectacular. It was so expensive too, but it was our big night out together so we had fun. The shuttle was crazy though...another roller coaster ride on the streets of Istanbul...
Well, my suitcase is packed to the brim with my Turkish goodies. I will write more later. It's 9:45 PM here so we have 5 hours until we have to leave!
Our wake up call is at 2:30 and our shuttle leaves at 3:00...that's the AM folks. Adam's flight leaves at 5:35 and mine is at 6:35. UGH. I hope to sleep on the plane this time around.
Here's a quick run down of Yesterday:
We checked out of the hotel and walked around Sultanhamet, saw the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia was nice but they are doing renovation, so half of the dome was covered in scaffolding. Next we had lunch...it was raining and it was really annoying. Then, we went to Topkapi Palace. It was nice...and huge. We were frustrated because we couldn't buy tickets to the harem (the best part) because they closed the credit card machine and we didn't have any cash. Ok, so at this point it is raining and we're tired and grumpy.
We walked back to the hotel and rested until a shuttle came to pick us up for the belly dance show. It was at the Galata Tower which is a huge tower originally used as a lighthouse, then a prison, then something else, and now it is home to a cheesy touristy Turkish night show. There was a Sultan, live musicians Turkish dancers, belly dancers and a lounge singer. The first belly dancer wasn't very good. She looked sooooo bored and her technique was terrible. The other belly dancer was much better. I'll post pictures soon.
The lounge singer called the "Showman" was funny. He pulled me up on stage and had me dance up there with other ladies from different countries, then he made Adam come up and we danced in front of everyone! HA! It was hilarious.
The food was terrible, but the views were spectacular. It was so expensive too, but it was our big night out together so we had fun. The shuttle was crazy though...another roller coaster ride on the streets of Istanbul...
Well, my suitcase is packed to the brim with my Turkish goodies. I will write more later. It's 9:45 PM here so we have 5 hours until we have to leave!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
I did it! I bought a costume
OK, after thinking about it for a couple of days, I decided to buy a costume. I love it, I really do. I didn't get as good of a price as I would've the first day, but all in all it ended up costing me $240. I forgot to get a skirt with it...It was supposed to be included, but I completely forgot. Luckily, there are places that sell really cheap skirts here...about $15.
Tonight was the night of bad luck. So Adam and I went to town ; we got dropped off at Sultanhamet and it was prayer time so we couldn't go into the Blue Mosque. Then, we tried to go to Hagia Sophia, a church turned mosque turned museum. We couldn't find the entrance so we walked all the way around it only to find it closed!
Est puis (Adam is watching French TV), we walked to the Grand Bazaar to show Adam and get the belly dance costume. It was much better with him, people don't bug me as much. Then we walked to the restaurant Hamdi, which is near the New Mosque. We wanted to eat up at the third floor where the terrace is, but it was full. So we went to the 2nd floor and it was so smoky, we couldn't stand it. Finally we ended up at the 1st floor. That was better, but still a little smoky. The restaurant was packed. Dinner was ok, but of course, the only thing I could eat was appetizer or a pizza.
Then we walked around the square and got TOTALLY ripped off. I am so irritated. So this shoe shiner drops his brush in front of us, so I pick it up for him...then he makes this big deal about giving me a shoe shine at no charge for being so nice. Adam gives him a five because he's nice and then the guy goes on and on about his children at home that he needs to feed. Then he says it's not 5 lira, but 8. I said that he told me no charge and he was like, no but I have kids. I fished around in my purse and gave him some change. Ugh! He had the whole thing planned. I mean every tourist gets the ripped off at least once on their trip, but its just so frustrating that people try to rip you off at every turn. I really hope he has a family to feed.
So Adam is not a fan of the city and I am not that into it. I mean parts of it are great...when you are not being hassled. The architecture is great and there are some fun things to do. My day yesterday on Istiklal Cadessi and the Hamam were great because I got left alone for the most part. But how can you enjoy yourself when you are being hounded and the pollution and cigarette smells are so bad? I know Adam is not a fan...
Anyway there is still much to be done...Topkai Palace, the Suleyman mosque and a Bosphorous cruise, hopefully we'll like it better after all that.
Not doing much right now
I decided to take it easy today and hang out. It is a beautiful day and I am cooped up in the hotel room. I am trying not to feel guilty about it. You see, Adam, gets off work in a couple of hours. Then he'll be done for the week! Yay! I am so excited about spending more time with him.
Anyway, I could've gone into town, only to have to come back to the hotel a few hours later, to go back out again. I told Adam he could meet me downtown, but he didn't feel comfortable with that. So I just decided to wait. I mean there is so much I could be doing, but I am exhausted and everyone knows how unpleasant I can be when I am tired. Since I'll be spending the next 3 days with Adam, I want to be pleasant.
Speaking of Adam, have I mentioned he is the best? :) Yesterday, when I returned to the hotel he was waiting for me with a gift! He bought me a shirt from a designer that he visited yesterday during the program. It is really cool...a little too small, but I plan on fitting into it eventually. I felt bad because, I've been meaning to pick him up something this whole time, I just haven't found the right thing. Actually, that is true of everyone...I am finding it hard to shop for gifts. I made a list yesterday and I still have a lot to do. This afternoon Adam and I are going to the Grand Bazaar, so maybe I'll find some more stuff. We're also going to Hagia Sophia.
Tomorrow, we change hotel rooms to something downtown. This hotel is great. The room is cute, the view is great and the food is even better, but it sucks being so far out of town. Our new hotel should be nice. I may not have Internet there, so I can't promise more posts...
View from hotel...using telephoto lens.
Hagia Sophia
Anyway, I could've gone into town, only to have to come back to the hotel a few hours later, to go back out again. I told Adam he could meet me downtown, but he didn't feel comfortable with that. So I just decided to wait. I mean there is so much I could be doing, but I am exhausted and everyone knows how unpleasant I can be when I am tired. Since I'll be spending the next 3 days with Adam, I want to be pleasant.
Speaking of Adam, have I mentioned he is the best? :) Yesterday, when I returned to the hotel he was waiting for me with a gift! He bought me a shirt from a designer that he visited yesterday during the program. It is really cool...a little too small, but I plan on fitting into it eventually. I felt bad because, I've been meaning to pick him up something this whole time, I just haven't found the right thing. Actually, that is true of everyone...I am finding it hard to shop for gifts. I made a list yesterday and I still have a lot to do. This afternoon Adam and I are going to the Grand Bazaar, so maybe I'll find some more stuff. We're also going to Hagia Sophia.
Tomorrow, we change hotel rooms to something downtown. This hotel is great. The room is cute, the view is great and the food is even better, but it sucks being so far out of town. Our new hotel should be nice. I may not have Internet there, so I can't promise more posts...
View from hotel...using telephoto lens.
Hagia Sophia
Friday, April 4, 2008
Today
First, let me say that I just had the best stuffed grape leaf that I have ever had! OMG! And it was at the hotel restaurant. Their food is really good. Breakfast is scrumptious.
So this morning, I went to Taksim Square and walked down the urban, pedestrian street called Istiklal Cadessi. It has a very European feel to it. Actually, other than the Ottoman architecture and music, the whole place has a European feel to it.
Istiklal is a part of the new district and the street is lined with clothing shops and such. There are no pushy sales people here! More my kind of place. I went to one of the outlet-type markets, which was ok. I had lunch at Barcelona cafe, which was good. They put dill pickles on my vegetarian pizza. It was really weird, but really good.
This is also where a lot of the famous belly dance costume designers are...It crossed my mind to just go and look, but I decided that would be too hard.
I got lost too, trying to find the funicular. It's this tram that goes up and down a big hill. It was so frustrating to be lost. And when I finally found the stop, I realized I had passed by it a couple of times without even realizing it!
Then I went to the Turkish Bath, called the Cemberlitas Hamam. I got lost looking for that one too. But, Audra was right, it is a place not to be missed. I didn't get the full massage because I thought I wouldn't have enough time..next time, right? So at the bath, you go into this marble room where there are fountains and basins of water. There is a large octagonal marble slab in the middle where you get washed and scrubbed.
First you rinse yourself off and chill for a while, and then a practically naked Turkish lady signals you to lay down on your pestimal. Then, she scrubs you with a thingy and rinses you off. It felt so good and it was gross to see my dead skin cells pill up. Next she takes this pillowcase and fills it with soapy water and she soaps you up and gives you a short massage. It was awesome and the soap smelled so good. Finally, after your rinsing, she takes you over to a basin and washes your hair. I hung out for awhile afterward under the dome. It is not for the shy...don't worry it is completely segregated. Anyway, I'd like to try another one while I am here, if there is time. I will say that it was a big tourist place. I didn't see any locals bathing, at least not in the women's section.
After that, I walked down to Sultanhamet and did some more shopping and browsing. I found a baklava shop and ate some delicious pistachio baklava.
I've been back at the hotel for awhile. I am still trying to decide what to do tomorrow. Adam is at the closing dinner, which I was not allowed to go to. :( I ate dinner at the hotel restaurant. As I mentioned before it was good. OK, I'm done, Adam is back. We need to spend some time together since we don't get to see each other much.
I decided that I am not going to post anymore pictures for now. It is pain to do it on Blogger. I'll get a Picasa album up soon.
So this morning, I went to Taksim Square and walked down the urban, pedestrian street called Istiklal Cadessi. It has a very European feel to it. Actually, other than the Ottoman architecture and music, the whole place has a European feel to it.
Istiklal is a part of the new district and the street is lined with clothing shops and such. There are no pushy sales people here! More my kind of place. I went to one of the outlet-type markets, which was ok. I had lunch at Barcelona cafe, which was good. They put dill pickles on my vegetarian pizza. It was really weird, but really good.
This is also where a lot of the famous belly dance costume designers are...It crossed my mind to just go and look, but I decided that would be too hard.
I got lost too, trying to find the funicular. It's this tram that goes up and down a big hill. It was so frustrating to be lost. And when I finally found the stop, I realized I had passed by it a couple of times without even realizing it!
Then I went to the Turkish Bath, called the Cemberlitas Hamam. I got lost looking for that one too. But, Audra was right, it is a place not to be missed. I didn't get the full massage because I thought I wouldn't have enough time..next time, right? So at the bath, you go into this marble room where there are fountains and basins of water. There is a large octagonal marble slab in the middle where you get washed and scrubbed.
First you rinse yourself off and chill for a while, and then a practically naked Turkish lady signals you to lay down on your pestimal. Then, she scrubs you with a thingy and rinses you off. It felt so good and it was gross to see my dead skin cells pill up. Next she takes this pillowcase and fills it with soapy water and she soaps you up and gives you a short massage. It was awesome and the soap smelled so good. Finally, after your rinsing, she takes you over to a basin and washes your hair. I hung out for awhile afterward under the dome. It is not for the shy...don't worry it is completely segregated. Anyway, I'd like to try another one while I am here, if there is time. I will say that it was a big tourist place. I didn't see any locals bathing, at least not in the women's section.
After that, I walked down to Sultanhamet and did some more shopping and browsing. I found a baklava shop and ate some delicious pistachio baklava.
I've been back at the hotel for awhile. I am still trying to decide what to do tomorrow. Adam is at the closing dinner, which I was not allowed to go to. :( I ate dinner at the hotel restaurant. As I mentioned before it was good. OK, I'm done, Adam is back. We need to spend some time together since we don't get to see each other much.
I decided that I am not going to post anymore pictures for now. It is pain to do it on Blogger. I'll get a Picasa album up soon.
Outside of the New Mosque
Here is a 360 degree view of the New Mosque, Spice Market and Galata Bridge.
Yesterday
Ready for the next installment? Whew! This is going to be a long one as I have just had two packed days...
Yesterday I took the shuttle to Sultanhamet, the part of Istanbul that is tightly packed with mosques and tourists. As soon as I stepped off the shuttle I was hounded by vultures. These are men who prey on unsuspecting tourists by trying to lure them into their business. They wait by the area where all the tourists get dropped off by bus, van or taxi and then they jump with their impeccable English. I can't even begin to tell you how annoying it is.
When I tried to brush the first vulture off he followed me to the Blue Mosque. Then he was, "Why are you being all aggressive? Why you so angry with me?" I told him just wanted to be left alone and that I didn't want to see his carpets. Ugh!
So the Blue Mosque was nice, but nothing to write home about...I am not into big, old churches or what not. I mean the outside is gorgeous, especially the park around it. But the inside smells musty and well, don't shoot me, I'm just not that into it.
Next, I went to the Grand Bazaar. An old man on "his day off" offered to walk me there. He asked if he could accompany me inside and I told him no. I never did figure out what his deal was. Inside was crazy! Those vendors are so aggressive and they jack up the prices! I found some belly dancing shops and almost bought a costume. It was quite nice, but at $260 that was still too high. I still might go back. He was very nice and he had my size which he called the, "special, hard to find" size. Boy was he right about that! The first shop I went to, the seller sent me up these steep, scary stairs to a room filled with bra and belt sets from head to toe! Every one he pulled out was too small for me until I was like, "I'm leaving now, you don't have my size." He told me he did and I told him to keep looking until I came back (which I never did).
Then I went to Ali Baba, which was supposed to have nice costumes...Well, I got a little person for a salesperson, who was smoking like a fiend and I hate to hear myself say this, but he freaked me out. I also went upstairs to the costume room, which was filled to the brim, but I just couldn't did through all those boxes and my shadow certainly wasn't helping...So no costume for me. All I bought was a shawl for Erika. I had to haggle to get the price down, but it is beautiful. A seller at another shop in the Spice market said I got a really good price. Kudos to me! I hope it is real!
Yeah, so then I had lunch and took the tram to the Spice Market, aka the Egyptian Bazaar. I checked out the New Mosque and watched the pigeons. I also visited the Pet/Plant market...which was crazy. They were selling bunnies, leaches, chickens, ducks, turtles, and fish, not to mention the random stray cats hanging out every where. It made me really sad to see the animals in such poor condition.
Anyway, the Spice Market was much nicer. The salespeople are still pushy, but not as bad. There are more locals there, so it is slightly more authentic. Outside of the market there are street vendors and there were a lot of good shops. I bought some food for dinner, because Adam and I decided to stay in. I took the tram back to Sultanhamet and I got there at the wrong time because the tram was soooooo packed it was way uncomfortable. It was commuter time or something, because the tram was full of locals.
I got to Sultanhamet early and I just hung out for an hour or so...I found another market, Aratasu, which Audra told me about. It was ok, still the prices are way too high! Finally, the shuttle came at 5:00pm and I didn't get to the hotel until 7:00! Yep, two hours on the shuttle, smelling diesel fumes and feeling so tired. I was the only one on the shuttle, but the driver was very nice, despite not knowing any English.
So, the reason why the shuttle took forever is that the Olympic torch came through yesterday, so they closed a lot of roads and it was packed. I saw the parade starting earlier that day down by Hagia Sophia, but when I was on the shuttle, they were having festivities at Taksim square and that's where we got stuck.
Adam got really worried about me. I finally got back and let me tell you, I was not in a good mood! Thank God I brought Clif Bars! So I brought dinner for us to eat in the room. It consisted of strawberries, radishes, sesame bagel-type things, cheese, and lots of cookies. :) Adam wouldn't eat my strawberries and I got offended. He said they were dirty because I bought them from a street vendor...his dad apparently told him that Egyptian produce is bad and it will give you hepatitis. First of all, Egypt is far away from Turkey, and second of all, that information is outdated by a couple of decades. We searched the web and couldn't find anything about it...I ate them and I feel fine. But you're not supposed to drink the tap water.
Ok, that was yesterday...most of it anyway. I'll explain today after dinner...
Yesterday I took the shuttle to Sultanhamet, the part of Istanbul that is tightly packed with mosques and tourists. As soon as I stepped off the shuttle I was hounded by vultures. These are men who prey on unsuspecting tourists by trying to lure them into their business. They wait by the area where all the tourists get dropped off by bus, van or taxi and then they jump with their impeccable English. I can't even begin to tell you how annoying it is.
When I tried to brush the first vulture off he followed me to the Blue Mosque. Then he was, "Why are you being all aggressive? Why you so angry with me?" I told him just wanted to be left alone and that I didn't want to see his carpets. Ugh!
So the Blue Mosque was nice, but nothing to write home about...I am not into big, old churches or what not. I mean the outside is gorgeous, especially the park around it. But the inside smells musty and well, don't shoot me, I'm just not that into it.
Next, I went to the Grand Bazaar. An old man on "his day off" offered to walk me there. He asked if he could accompany me inside and I told him no. I never did figure out what his deal was. Inside was crazy! Those vendors are so aggressive and they jack up the prices! I found some belly dancing shops and almost bought a costume. It was quite nice, but at $260 that was still too high. I still might go back. He was very nice and he had my size which he called the, "special, hard to find" size. Boy was he right about that! The first shop I went to, the seller sent me up these steep, scary stairs to a room filled with bra and belt sets from head to toe! Every one he pulled out was too small for me until I was like, "I'm leaving now, you don't have my size." He told me he did and I told him to keep looking until I came back (which I never did).
Then I went to Ali Baba, which was supposed to have nice costumes...Well, I got a little person for a salesperson, who was smoking like a fiend and I hate to hear myself say this, but he freaked me out. I also went upstairs to the costume room, which was filled to the brim, but I just couldn't did through all those boxes and my shadow certainly wasn't helping...So no costume for me. All I bought was a shawl for Erika. I had to haggle to get the price down, but it is beautiful. A seller at another shop in the Spice market said I got a really good price. Kudos to me! I hope it is real!
Yeah, so then I had lunch and took the tram to the Spice Market, aka the Egyptian Bazaar. I checked out the New Mosque and watched the pigeons. I also visited the Pet/Plant market...which was crazy. They were selling bunnies, leaches, chickens, ducks, turtles, and fish, not to mention the random stray cats hanging out every where. It made me really sad to see the animals in such poor condition.
Anyway, the Spice Market was much nicer. The salespeople are still pushy, but not as bad. There are more locals there, so it is slightly more authentic. Outside of the market there are street vendors and there were a lot of good shops. I bought some food for dinner, because Adam and I decided to stay in. I took the tram back to Sultanhamet and I got there at the wrong time because the tram was soooooo packed it was way uncomfortable. It was commuter time or something, because the tram was full of locals.
I got to Sultanhamet early and I just hung out for an hour or so...I found another market, Aratasu, which Audra told me about. It was ok, still the prices are way too high! Finally, the shuttle came at 5:00pm and I didn't get to the hotel until 7:00! Yep, two hours on the shuttle, smelling diesel fumes and feeling so tired. I was the only one on the shuttle, but the driver was very nice, despite not knowing any English.
So, the reason why the shuttle took forever is that the Olympic torch came through yesterday, so they closed a lot of roads and it was packed. I saw the parade starting earlier that day down by Hagia Sophia, but when I was on the shuttle, they were having festivities at Taksim square and that's where we got stuck.
Adam got really worried about me. I finally got back and let me tell you, I was not in a good mood! Thank God I brought Clif Bars! So I brought dinner for us to eat in the room. It consisted of strawberries, radishes, sesame bagel-type things, cheese, and lots of cookies. :) Adam wouldn't eat my strawberries and I got offended. He said they were dirty because I bought them from a street vendor...his dad apparently told him that Egyptian produce is bad and it will give you hepatitis. First of all, Egypt is far away from Turkey, and second of all, that information is outdated by a couple of decades. We searched the web and couldn't find anything about it...I ate them and I feel fine. But you're not supposed to drink the tap water.Ok, that was yesterday...most of it anyway. I'll explain today after dinner...
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
I'm here, I'm safe and I'm lovin' it
I made it! I am happily in Istanbul. Everything is wonderful. My flight was uneventful, although I did learn that I can't sleep on airplanes anymore. I got maybe 30 minutes of sleep on the long flight to Munich and maybe about an hour on the way to Istanbul.
The hotel is really nice although it is very far out of town. It is right off the highway, so you can't walk anywhere. I've already tried the shuttle and the taxi system with minmal problems. Arriving was no problems either; the shuttle was already waiting for me. I was so happy to see that the sun was shining and people were lounging along the water. The tulips are in bloom, just like at home. The shuttle driver put on American music and I listened to "San Francisco (Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair)" by Scott McKenzie. It was very zen-like.
The view from our room is amazing. You can see the Sea of Marmara and there are all these barge/boat things everywhere. It's a little foggy out this morning (read: smoggy), but beautiful never the less. If you cock your head a little to the left you can see all the way down the shore to the old town. At night the old city wall and the mosques are lit up. It is quite a site.
Last night, after my nap, Adam and I decided to venture out into town for dinner. It turns out the only way to get off the hotel is by car. The hotel is some kind of Island surrounded by a highway. Ick. Anyway, neither one of us had the proper cash, so we had to pay the cabbie in US dollars. I felt guilty, but Adam said it was ok.
We went to the Süleymaniye area to try a restaurant in one of the guide books. As we stepped outside, we saw a gorgeous mosque and they started their evening prayer, which they blast over the loudspeaker, so everyone in the district can hear it. We were lost as soon as we stepped out of the cab. I thought we were near another mosque and we walked all the way down to street only to find out we needed to walk back up and then around the mosque.
Anyway, we finally found our restaurant which was inside the walls said Mosque. The mosque is called Şehzade and so is the restaurant. The restaurant is located inside a courtyard in an old building that used to me the Koranic school (medrese). We got great service at the restaurant and the waiter spoke English. There was a lute player and these little rooms off to the side filled with Turkish men drinking their tea and smoking hookah.
We must have finished dinner at like 11:00pm and we promptly found a cab. That was a ride! I felt like I was on a roller coaster and there were no seat belts. The cabbie had no idea where we were going and he spoke no English. We finally made it home and didn't get to bed until after midnight. Boy am I tired.
Anyway, off to breakfast and then I am taking a shuttle into town to visit the old district, Sutlanahmet. I am going to the grand Bazaar and just to see the sites. This is so great!
The hotel is really nice although it is very far out of town. It is right off the highway, so you can't walk anywhere. I've already tried the shuttle and the taxi system with minmal problems. Arriving was no problems either; the shuttle was already waiting for me. I was so happy to see that the sun was shining and people were lounging along the water. The tulips are in bloom, just like at home. The shuttle driver put on American music and I listened to "San Francisco (Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair)" by Scott McKenzie. It was very zen-like.
The view from our room is amazing. You can see the Sea of Marmara and there are all these barge/boat things everywhere. It's a little foggy out this morning (read: smoggy), but beautiful never the less. If you cock your head a little to the left you can see all the way down the shore to the old town. At night the old city wall and the mosques are lit up. It is quite a site.
Last night, after my nap, Adam and I decided to venture out into town for dinner. It turns out the only way to get off the hotel is by car. The hotel is some kind of Island surrounded by a highway. Ick. Anyway, neither one of us had the proper cash, so we had to pay the cabbie in US dollars. I felt guilty, but Adam said it was ok.
We went to the Süleymaniye area to try a restaurant in one of the guide books. As we stepped outside, we saw a gorgeous mosque and they started their evening prayer, which they blast over the loudspeaker, so everyone in the district can hear it. We were lost as soon as we stepped out of the cab. I thought we were near another mosque and we walked all the way down to street only to find out we needed to walk back up and then around the mosque.
Anyway, we finally found our restaurant which was inside the walls said Mosque. The mosque is called Şehzade and so is the restaurant. The restaurant is located inside a courtyard in an old building that used to me the Koranic school (medrese). We got great service at the restaurant and the waiter spoke English. There was a lute player and these little rooms off to the side filled with Turkish men drinking their tea and smoking hookah.
We must have finished dinner at like 11:00pm and we promptly found a cab. That was a ride! I felt like I was on a roller coaster and there were no seat belts. The cabbie had no idea where we were going and he spoke no English. We finally made it home and didn't get to bed until after midnight. Boy am I tired.
Anyway, off to breakfast and then I am taking a shuttle into town to visit the old district, Sutlanahmet. I am going to the grand Bazaar and just to see the sites. This is so great!
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