Turkey, day 10

At 5:30 Monday morning, my grandma and I got in a cab to the airport. After checking in, we hopped in a bus to the plane. Then we boarded the plane, flew 550 km, and deplaned at Izmir. Next, we joined a bus to Selçuk. Then we took a cab to the House of the Virgin Mary and Ephesus.

It was a long day.

But just, Ephesus.

Why hello there, Library of Celsus.

AHHHHHH ancient ruins are pretty cool.

But before going up to Ephesus, as I said, we visited the House of the Virgin Mary. I had been warned by a friend (shout out to Jacob!) that the area was not worth the 15 TL entrance fee, and this is probably somewhat accurate--especially as I am not even a little bit Catholic. However, the story (history? That's a loaded question...) of the site and its position as a place of pilgrimage are fairly interesting to read about and experience, and I'm glad I went. I didn't take any pictures of the church itself, but there was this pit there. Please tell me if you know what it is, because I can't figure it out.

After this nice dose of religious history, we moved onto the main event: Ephesus. Ephesus was a Greek city and then a Roman city, and at one point it had a population of a quarter million people. Now about 35,000 people live in the nearest town. Aren't population shifts cool? I'm not going to try to recount the history of Ephesus here, because a) there's a lot to it and b) I'm not incredibly well versed in it, but I suppose what's important is that it was off and on a very significant place from the 10th century BCE to the 15th century CE. Obviously, that's a long time.

A lot of the really nifty statues and things have been moved to museums elsewhere from Ephesus, because of vandalism fears, but that's not to say that what remains isn't spectacular. As my grandma said time and time again as we were walking around, "how did they manage to build all this back then?" How indeed. I am almost sure pictures can express this better than words, so here are a few.

Some latrines. You're welcome.

The Temple of Hadrian. Look at that arch!

According to my grandma people still perform here sometimes? I think that would be brilliant.

I found Ephesus kind of strange because you can just clamber all over most of the ruins. Maybe this is the case everywhere there are ruins like this? My experience is pretty limited. In any event, I can't complain, because it means you can feel like an ancient Greek! Kind of. At the very least, you can climb to the top of the theatres and take snazzy pictures.

The Odeon!

We decided to go inside this covered archeological area to see the terrace houses, which were so, so fantastic. Archaeologists are slooowwllly uncovering and rebuilding them and the whole interior is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Some of this work is being sponsored by the very same company that operates the brilliant office building/contemporary art museum we visited Sunday in Istanbul!

I could go for some mosaics like this on my floor.

The final thing I have to say about Ephesus is that there are SO MANY cats around. I mean, there are a lot of stray cats in Turkey in general, but when my grandma and I took a snack break no fewer than six cats wound around our feet in hopes of procuring some banana. Cats don't even eat bananas, right? These two were having a lengthy cat standoff outside the library.

I think the one lying down was victorious.

After Ephesus, we had a delightfully inexpensive and delicious vegetarian lunch in Selçuk. This camel was also wandering around making jangly noises--pardon the horrible angle of this photograph.

We walked around Selçuk for a little bit, and I enjoyed the taste of small-town Turkey, but then it was back to Istanbul with the whole cab-bus-plane-bus-cab process in reverse. We arrived back just in time to collapse into bed, exhausted. 

*Most of the photos with me in them in this post are thanks to my dear grandmother. Also, kudos to her for doing all this trekking with me!

Turkey, days eight and nine

With a winter term project like mine, one must echo the Dowager Countess: "What is a weekend?" (sorry, I watched a lot of Downton Abbey over break). Some weekdays have been (and will be) necessarily lost to travel, and the tourism doesn't end just because it's Saturday or Sunday. This particular weekend, however, was fairly relaxed. Saturday, we traveled to the Beyoğlu area, and I looked at Galata Tower for about 30 seconds. Like many things in Istanbul, this tower has worn many hats in its centuries of existence. Now it's home to a nightclub and restaurant with great views of the city.

This plaque was probably really interesting except I can't read it so I make no promises.

Beyoğlu is pretty interesting historically beyond just the tower. The area was traditionally home to the non-Turks of Istanbul, and foreign churches and old embassy buildings remain. On the main shopping street of the area, İstiklâl Caddesi, old-fashioned trolleys (but no cars) run up and down. It's pretty cute, but I think I've perhaps officially had enough shopping in Turkey. This area is also near where the Istanbul Modern, which I already visited and loved, is.

Yesterday was all fine and dandy, but today we did something super cool. This corporation, Borusan (I'm told their work has something to do with pipes), has turned one of their office buildings into a museum--but only on the weekends. During the weekdays, people do their work surrounded by some truly magnificent contemporary art (though they must have to clean off their desks every Friday, which could be a pain). There's a lot of permanent neon sculpture by François Morellet, many works by contemporary American artists, and a really interesting temporary exhibition by Brigitte Kowanz. Interspersed with all this art are desks and computers and books and other workplace essentials. I'd never heard of any museum like this, but it's such an awesome thing to do--and is probably pretty profitable as well. Everyone's a winner! Incidentally, the architecture of the building is pretty boss.

Tomorrow grandma and I are going to Ephesus. This means getting up at 5am (happy Monday!), but I very much feel that it will be worth it in the end!

Turkey, day seven

Topkapı Palace, y'all. (Dotless "i"s are so confusing.)

Or rather, a very small part of it.

So back when this was a functioning palace, thousands of people lived here. The grounds are vast, as they needed to be--mind-blowing-ly, more people lived at Topkapı than attend my college. But unlike Dolmabahçe, Topkapı is not strikingly luxurious. Perhaps this is partially because it has been restructured into a museum, but I think it's also partially due to the era in which it was built. The Ottomans were on top of the world in the 1450s, and they didn't need to prove anything with their architecture or decoration. This is not to say there is nothing opulent about it. There are many, many fantastically tiled rooms, and some cool stuff like this:

Turns out it's really hard to photograph stained glass on a cell phone.

The museum artifacts are also quite spectacular, particularly the wide variety of massive emeralds and some pretty tricked-out swords. The harem, though, was probably the most interesting to visit. Apart from one real creepy diorama featuring humanoid mannequins, most of the harem is preserved in a relatively unadorned manner. Like other architecture of the palace, the harem is surprisingly simple at times, but I suppose in some ways it was just a sort of dormitory for the many eunuchs and concubines (the quarters of the mother of the sultan and the crown prince are appropriately bedazzled.) It's just so stunning to think that people lived there in the past; that the labyrinth of halls could be called home. Also, the social structures of Topkapı were really fascinating, if completely racist and sexist.

Also yesterday, we were treated to a nice dinner by a family friend. I am a college student, so while claims were made that this was "not a fancy restaurant" it was actually incredibly elaborate by my standards. Look at what they made me at this fish restaurant because I don't eat fish: 

This presentation only came after approximately 500 appetizers, called mezze and highly traditional. My grandmother was quite excited for me to experience mezze, and now I understand why. Everything imaginable was served up in small quantities, and we had to try not to stuff ourselves before the real food came (which for everyone else means a fish of some variety). And after this real food, of course, was dessert, which was thoroughly over-the-top.

Not pictured: even more dessert.

Yesterday also was very exciting because we booked tickets to go down to Ephesus on Monday! Awwwwww yeeeeeaaaah ancient ruins. 
 
How is it that I leave Turkey in less than a week??

Turkey, day six

I went to Asia this afternoon. What did you do?

That's right, the OTHER SIDE of the Bosporus!

Before that exciting boat journey, however, we saw two of my favorite things of this trip so far. First up, Chora Church (which also has a lot of other names). This church turned mosque turned museum has some of the most fabulous (and well-preserved) Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in the world. And since it's a pretty bare-bones museum--there are none of my favorite informational panels--it was a fun name-that-iconography quiz game! But actually, since the whole church is full of art and its all in its original location, I wouldn't like it any other way. Time capsule!

I think this one should not be on the quiz.

After this excursion we went over to the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar), because clearly yesterday did not include enough bazaar-ing. I enjoyed my Spice Bazaar experience much better than my Grand Bazaar experience, because the Spice Bazaar is smaller and beautiful and smells delicious. Also, there's no need to worry about which shop to enter, because essentially all of them sell spices (and we weren't buying anything, anyway).

I always want to cook with the spices have the best colors. In this case that would be all of them.

After this ramble through the bazaar, we hopped on a boat to the other half of Istanbul. There is an underground tunnel in progress, but right now the only ways to cross the Bosporus are by one of two bridges or by boat--massive tunnel-building projects are expensive. Infrastructure has improved dramatically over the last forty years, though. When my family lived here in the 60s, the only option was a car ferry.  

To celebrate our arrival in Asia, we bought a bunch of grocery store shopping bags (as you can see in the first picture, living the high life). Then to actually celebrate, we had tea. As you can see, the sun was showing its face for the first time in days. It has my permission to stick around.

Bright green grated pistachios should be a required topping for all things.

Turkey, day five

Today (edit: actually yesterday, now) we visited the Istanbul Grand Bazaar, the largest covered market in Istanbul and one of the biggest and oldest in the world. It was founded in 1455! Originally merchants gathered together in areas of the bazaar based on their guilds, and today similar items are still generally found in the same areas. Putting so much commerce under one roof was thought to be good for everyone in terms of safety of goods and price protections.

Abandon hope all ye who enter here

Alright, so I am not a natural-born shopper, bargainer, whatever. True millennial that I am, face-to-face conversation scares me and I frequently like to do price comparison and purchasing online and have things delivered to my doorstep without ever necessarily having interacted with another human. This is, naturally, not the way things are done in the Grand Bazaar. There are over 3000 stores (!??!?!?!?!) that stretch out for miles and price comparison is only so possible. First, most of the shopkeepers stand outside their shops and attempt to bring people in by vocally advertising deals and prices. Second, once you have decided to enter, they will offer you tea or coffee, probably, and then they will focus their attention solely on helping you until you buy something or leave. Also, whatever price is listed is not actually what you are expected to pay--haggling is usually very much needed. If, like me, you don't speak Turkish, this can be difficult (though our wonderful host did a fair bit of haggling for us). While this is altogether a very polite way of doing business, it's also very stressful for us introverts of the world.

We bought a small and gorgeous kilim from these very nice carpet merchants.

However, the Grand Bazaar is also a completely necessary cultural experience. Don't get me wrong--I liked visiting the bazaar, in the end. I just found it exhausting. Where else can you see such a variety of authentically Turkish wares and people? And yes, the Grand Bazaar is old and historic, and brilliant in that manner. We went in with a list of souvenirs and other things to be purchased, and came out almost entirely satisfied with our purchases and with the atmosphere.

Old arches and columns are my favorite.

ALL THE SILVER

This day was also a success in my ongoing in-search-of-good-food quest because I tried sahlep for the first time, this hot drink made in part from orchid. So so good. 

Mmmm...

Others in my party also had yummy things.

HAVE I MENTIONED HOW GLAMOROUS TURKISH COFFEE IS?!?

 And it was in a venue with a wonderful theme.

Everyone's new favorite thing: the fes (/fez) lamp

Turkey, day four

Good news: I feel mostly better! Bad news: the weather is not better! Today we decided that this didn't actually matter and ventured off to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia in the snow. Because especially the Blue Mosque features of lots of marble in its stairs and courtyard, I cannot entirely recommend this approach. 

Not pictured: people falling all over the place.

Of course, once inside, the snow doesn't matter (though it's still cold). The Blue Mosque is gorgeous. Iznik tiles adorn many surfaces, and the dome and sub-domes are a sight to behold. Everything has a pleasant blueish tint (natch) from the tiles and the paint. Unlike Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque is still used as a place of worship, meaning we followed appropriate mosque clothing etiquette before entering and tried to be as respectful and quiet as possible once inside. It was built by the Ottoman ruler Ahmed I--and I think technically called Sultan Ahmed Mosque--and is about four hundred years old. Although interesting, the history of this mosque (by nature of its age) is a bit less compelling than its neighbor down the road that we battled the snow to visit next.

As everybody knows, Hagia Sophia is OLD. Like, 1500 years old. In its many years of existence, it has been an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral, a Catholic Cathedral, an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral (again), an Imperial Mosque, and a secular museum. Despite rampant iconoclasm when the building was converted into a mosque upon the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, there are lots of later-uncovered Byzantine mosaics inside. This is awesome because early (relatively) Christian icons are some of my favorite things! And since Hagia Sophia is a museum, there are also lots of plaques--my other favorite thing! It's a match made in heaven. This building also makes me wish I were more of an architecture person because the dome is magnificent and has a long and interesting history. The fact that it is still all the way up there and in decent shape (though it has undergone restoration) is just so, so, incredible. The detailed mosaic work, in varying states, is breathtaking.

Deesis: Judgement Day

An Empress Zoe mosaic from the 11th (!!!) century

There is something singularly spectacular about being inside a building that is (at its core, at least) as ancient as Hagia Sophia is. People used this space almost a thousand years before the European discovery of the Americas. People constructed these intricate mosaics before using glass magnification to see was really a thing! There was this mural in my elementary school about how the water cycle, and I always thought this part where it illustrated that the water you drink could have been the beverage of dinosaurs was way cool. I feel the same way with old buildings--the stone you're walking on was walked on by Ottoman leaders! 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

We also had a nice lunch today with an old friend of my grandmother and grandfather, a professor at Istanbul Bilgi University and a '60s graduate of my college. Though I promised not to blog about my lunch today, I must share this pudding that is made out of chicken (among other things). Since it has meat in it, I will not be sampling this particular dessert, but I will admit to being very, very curious.
 

Istanbul in the snooooww--Turkey, day three

As lots of things are closed on Mondays and the snowy weather prevented us from doing anything else, today we visited one of Turkey's great sites--we went to the mall. There were errands that needed running, so we put on our snow boots (rule one of traveling in the winter: always bring your snow boots even if it doesn't seem worth it) and headed out. However, since shopping malls are not particularly interesting (fact: every store we entered was playing Maroon 5), this will likely just be a food appreciation post where I forget the names of everything.

We popped into many stores in a quest for a jacket for my grandma, but had to break empty-handed for lunch. Luckily for me, I've learned over the past few days that good vegetarian fare is not too difficult to find in Istanbul, not because there's a lot of vegetarianism necessarily but just because they don't eat as much meat here as in many other places I've been. Lunch (at a restaurant where the kitchen was nowhere in sight, a mystery I continue to puzzle over) consisted of spinach-filled pasta and yogurt and happiness.

I have this problem where sometimes I don't want to eat food when it's too pretty.

 After more errand-running (in search of a toaster, now!), we had tea and dessert.

Grandma made the mistake of trying to sample this before I took a picture. Also, if you were worried, most of this delicious chocolate-pastry-pistachio-cream monstrosity is leftover and currently in the refrigerator downstairs.

My grandmother enjoyed her favorite pistachio and coconut pudding. 

Well-employed pistachios have to be the most elegant nut. So green!

And our host had Turkish coffee and a sweet that I neglected to take a picture of. I really wish I liked coffee, because Turkish coffee seems super glamorous.

After all this, we took the metro (along with everyone else in this city who didn't want to deal with weather) back to the house and did some work and organizing and hiding from the snow. I always find that malls require a bit of a recovery period, but one more item remains on the food tour of the day: a late dinner. Our lovely hosts made this, the name of which I am blanking on but which was a phyllo-ish dough filled with spinach and magic. I've never tried to cook anything with this kind of pastry, but I shall have to try sometime.

It was also beautiful before it was sliced.

So really, all I accomplished today was sampling delicious food, which is something I hadn't done very much of yet due to sickness and about which I cannot complain.

Also, this happened at the mall:

The perfect souvenir: American flag drawer pulls.

Tomorrow hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can see some things that are slightly more historic than a shopping mall, and you can read about something slightly more interesting than my lunch. Happy Monday!