Istanbul Day Two

We started the day with breakfast on the terrace of our hotel overlooking some of the major sites: the Blue Mosque, the Haghia Sophia Mosque, the Sea, the Bosphorus River, etc. We then walked to the huge and opulent Topkapi Palace and began our tour of it in the Harem area. The Harem housed up to 1,000 concubines guarded by black eunuchs. The women in the harem were selected when they were young for their beauty and intelligence. They were held captive. Those who were favorites of the sultan received some education, and trained in music, dancing and singing. Those who bore him a son achieved more status and better quarters and sometimes marriage. The sultan's male relatives had ornate comfortable quarters, but were kept captive also in "golden cages" so they would not overthrow him or have access to his harem. Interesting system! Their was incredible tile work all over the palace in beautiful colors and designs, most of it very old and in beautiful, well preserved condition.

After the Harem, we toured the rest of the Topaki Palace. which was built between 1459 and 1465 by Sultan Mehmet II. It was inhabited by a succession of sultans and their families and staff until 1853. It has been a museum since 1924. There were big groups of young school children there on field trips. They would wave and say hello ("koniche wa" to Asian tourists). Some were brave enough to try more of their English asking, us our name or how we were. They were very open and cute. We then walked to the Haghia Sophia Mosque, which is now a museum. It, too, is quite large. It was originally built as a Christian church, but was converted to a mosque with a variety of different architectural elements added through the centuries. It was undergoing renovation, so our view was obstructed a bit by scaffolding. The dome was immense. Five times during the day there is a call to prayer broadcast over loudspeakers at the mosques. You can hear it loudly all across the city. The song-like calls are beautiful. We didn't see anyone respond to the calls--perhaps they were already at the mosques.

We stopped for a quick lunch of kabobs and vegetarian stuff for Brie, then wandered through the Grand Bazaar looking in the stands. People would call out to you to look in their stands, some were very clever, but it was not as chaotic or aggressive as we expected.

We met Ilhami and his friend Saski at our hotel and walked back to the bazaar. Ilhami had arranged for Saski to take us to some rug stands since we thought it might be fun to buy a Turkish rug. We went into a shop. They have you sit down, pour you little cups of tea. Once they have an idea of what you are looking for, they have a few guys to run all over finding rugs that might fit your description and laying them out in front of you. We quickly realized we didn't know enough about rugs, style, quality, value, etc. and neither Saski nor Ilhami know about rugs. Saski knew people and friends who sold rugs. We looked at two places and decided to pass on the rugs this trip, but it was an interesting, and sometime amusing, experience.

Saski then took us to an nice silver shop and ceramic shop where we did some shopping. His connection to the merchants got us great services and probably better prices because of the friendship and respect for him and for Ilhami. Relationships. respect and hospitality are important factors in this culture and we have been treated so kindly.

Ilhami has taken time off from his important job to spend time with us and help us. He is so gracious and friendly with a great since of humor. He does not speak English so we communicate by he and Brie speaking French--they got along so well and Brie's french is amazing after only 5-6 months. We also got some help with communication from the staff at our hotel.

We wanted to take Ilhami for a drink and dinner before he needed to fly to the capital on business. He was very resistant, wanting to take us out again. A staff member at our hotel was helping us discuss this with him. He was saying being with us was a pleasure and he wanted to treat us and we were saying essentially the same thing. I asked the young man translating What do we do? and he looked kind of helpless and said I don't know then we all laughed. It's hard to reciprocate in any way while in Turkey. the custom of very kind hospitality is so strong.
We had a fun dinner together on our terrace before he had to leave. We are hoping he will come see us in Santa Barbara with his lovely wife Nurver.