I never want to drive in Istanbul again. How can people stand to drive how they drive here? I can handle the zipping across 4 lanes at high speeds to get to your exit. I can handle all of the fast moving truck traffic. I cannot handle start/stop traffic in a manual vehicle to travel 7 kms in 30 minutes just because this is a) a toll that is meant to be automatic, b) an on ramp, c) a bridge or d) some high profile escorted vehicle that requires the traffic to be stopped. I should be less stressed as a driver. Who does it help? Nobody! However, dang, Pallavi and I were so stressed that after we dropped off the family at the airport, we grabbed a kebab, went to the hotel, and refused to leave!
The next day we decided to just check out Hagia Sofia. As you enter that place, you can't help but think that this decor reflects how religions should interact with each other. Where else can you find the Virgin and Child next to Muslim decorations? Or Byzantine images of saints next to 12th century minarets? It is hard to imagine that this is the site of Constantine. Without Constantine, where would Christianity be? 2nd to Jesus, I'd say this is the next birthplace of Christianity. What a cool concept.
The whole church is beautiful. Layers are built on layers. Remaining mosaics of different former Emperors who commissioned a picture of their family alongside Jesus showing them giving money to the church. Circles on the floor show where the Emperor use to sit. All in all, it's an amazing place.
We finished up and went to stay at a friend of Pallavi's, staying at Taxim Square, who just landed in Istanbul for a month for work. All of the interesting museums closed the next day, on Monday. As a result, we did nothing but watch TLC on television, which launched in Turkey just a month ago. We only stepped out to get dinner at Taxim Square. Taxim is the local area and it is humming. Thousands of people are out on the main pedestrian street walking around. When I stepped out earlier in the day to find a grocery store to buy breakfast stuff, it felt like I had slipped into living in Istanbul. It had a completely different feel than the touristy Sultanahmet.
The final day in Istanbul, we had just a few hours after we got up and around before we had to leave for our flight down to Cappadocia. We made a call and only I went off to the Dolmabahce Palace. Rick Steves told us that the Dolmabahce Palace was built at the end of the Ottoman Empire, by some 'weak' Sultans, who were determined to show the world that they still had it.
Overcompensate much? This palace had a huge wow factor. It has huge gates that look out upon and step down directly into the Bosphorus. On the inside, the palace doesn't have just one 1 ton crystal chandelier; the palace doesn't have an additional 1.5 ton crystal chandelier; the palace also has a 4.5 ton crystal chandelier. Oh, and that doesn't include the multiple crystal lamps and minor crystal chandeliers in each of its 100+ rooms. Or the huge crystal staircase. I must confess. I was a bit disappointed by the crystal staircase. I was expected floors of crystal! What did I get? Only the railing balustrades were 100% crystal. Disappointing! How am I supposed to be wowed by that.... ?
Of course, that doesn't include the 500 kgs of gold that gilded the palace. Or the beautiful baroque-style paintings that covered the entire room and ceiling. Or the historic paintings. Or the grand ceremony room, which I swear was built in size and style like Hagia Sofia, topped by that beautiful 4.5 kg crystal chandelier, and floored by the largest handmade carpet in Turkey. It is just as grand as any a crazy King Ludwig palace.
I barely had one hour to tour the palace before I had to get back to leave for the flight. You can't tour the palace by yourself. You have to join a scheduled group. I had seen my group leaving, knowing I didn't have enough time to wait for another group, I ran to join and the tour guide waved me on! You have to wear booties on your feet to protect the elaborate parquet floor made of 3 woods. As a result of the rush, I only saw half of the palace (the other half is on a separate ticket that I had wisely not purchased). Then I made it back just in time to start the 2.5 hour hike, including a ferry over the Bosphorus, to get to the other Istanbul airport for our flight to Cappadocia.
Istanbul is a cool city. I would absolutely love to go back.
The next day we decided to just check out Hagia Sofia. As you enter that place, you can't help but think that this decor reflects how religions should interact with each other. Where else can you find the Virgin and Child next to Muslim decorations? Or Byzantine images of saints next to 12th century minarets? It is hard to imagine that this is the site of Constantine. Without Constantine, where would Christianity be? 2nd to Jesus, I'd say this is the next birthplace of Christianity. What a cool concept.
The whole church is beautiful. Layers are built on layers. Remaining mosaics of different former Emperors who commissioned a picture of their family alongside Jesus showing them giving money to the church. Circles on the floor show where the Emperor use to sit. All in all, it's an amazing place.
We finished up and went to stay at a friend of Pallavi's, staying at Taxim Square, who just landed in Istanbul for a month for work. All of the interesting museums closed the next day, on Monday. As a result, we did nothing but watch TLC on television, which launched in Turkey just a month ago. We only stepped out to get dinner at Taxim Square. Taxim is the local area and it is humming. Thousands of people are out on the main pedestrian street walking around. When I stepped out earlier in the day to find a grocery store to buy breakfast stuff, it felt like I had slipped into living in Istanbul. It had a completely different feel than the touristy Sultanahmet.
The final day in Istanbul, we had just a few hours after we got up and around before we had to leave for our flight down to Cappadocia. We made a call and only I went off to the Dolmabahce Palace. Rick Steves told us that the Dolmabahce Palace was built at the end of the Ottoman Empire, by some 'weak' Sultans, who were determined to show the world that they still had it.
Overcompensate much? This palace had a huge wow factor. It has huge gates that look out upon and step down directly into the Bosphorus. On the inside, the palace doesn't have just one 1 ton crystal chandelier; the palace doesn't have an additional 1.5 ton crystal chandelier; the palace also has a 4.5 ton crystal chandelier. Oh, and that doesn't include the multiple crystal lamps and minor crystal chandeliers in each of its 100+ rooms. Or the huge crystal staircase. I must confess. I was a bit disappointed by the crystal staircase. I was expected floors of crystal! What did I get? Only the railing balustrades were 100% crystal. Disappointing! How am I supposed to be wowed by that.... ?
Of course, that doesn't include the 500 kgs of gold that gilded the palace. Or the beautiful baroque-style paintings that covered the entire room and ceiling. Or the historic paintings. Or the grand ceremony room, which I swear was built in size and style like Hagia Sofia, topped by that beautiful 4.5 kg crystal chandelier, and floored by the largest handmade carpet in Turkey. It is just as grand as any a crazy King Ludwig palace.
I barely had one hour to tour the palace before I had to get back to leave for the flight. You can't tour the palace by yourself. You have to join a scheduled group. I had seen my group leaving, knowing I didn't have enough time to wait for another group, I ran to join and the tour guide waved me on! You have to wear booties on your feet to protect the elaborate parquet floor made of 3 woods. As a result of the rush, I only saw half of the palace (the other half is on a separate ticket that I had wisely not purchased). Then I made it back just in time to start the 2.5 hour hike, including a ferry over the Bosphorus, to get to the other Istanbul airport for our flight to Cappadocia.
Istanbul is a cool city. I would absolutely love to go back.
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