Goodbye, Istanbul and Turkish baths

 I know I probably should be moving on to other

summer topics but I am still crushing on

our Istanbul trip.

 We had so many fantastic experiences

from cruising up the Bosphorus

 to having drinks on the top of The Marmara with

this incredible view

 and dinners with these incredible views.

 

 We visited the Princes Island Buyukada, a popular summer destination,

where the only transport is bike or horse and wagon.

We had lots of good wine

and food and deserts.

Fortunately, I only gained a pound or two!

Woot!

Perhaps my one regret is that I did not buy a Turkish rug while there. 

This was the one I loved.

I should have bought it!

But perhaps the very best experience 

was our Turkish bath!

On our last day there, our Turkish host invited us to their home for a Turkish breakfast 

and then arranged for a Turkish bath or hamam at their private spa.

Ooh la la!

We were treated like royalty and unfortunately I have no pictures of my own to share.

People get a little nervous in dressing rooms, saunas, and bathing rooms when 

you drag cameras and iPhones out!

But this photo from the web is a fair representation of what goes on in the bath.

 It was an absolute treat once I got over my nakedness in front of the

two strangers who would bath The Professor and myself.

Our bodies were aggressively scrubbed from head to toe 

while lying virtually naked upon a stone.

Turkish baths are not for the modest at heart!

Afterwards, we lounged in our robes in a large candle-lit spa-like room with over-sized sofas,

served a Turkish drink of some sort and expected to linger there as long

as we desired. 

So we did!

It truly was an incredible experience and my skin has never felt so smooth and silky!

~~~

Well, this pretty much wraps up our visit.

It was a beautiful and friendly country and sorry that

we didn't have the time to travel outside of Istanbul to some other incredible sites.

And

so sorry for not buying that rug!

Hope your week gets off to a great start.

Later, my friends,

Cruising on the Bosphorus

It is a must to take the Bosphorus cruise while in Istanbul.  

The Bosphorus divides two continents and connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara which connects with the Aegean Sea and out to the Mediterranean Sea.  A lot of seas surrounding Istanbul!  But the Bosphorus has always been of strategic and commercial importance as far back as 330 A.D. with the establishment of the city.

It was a great way to take in all of Istanbul's neighborhoods (Europe and Asia sides) which extend up the 18 miles to the Black Sea.

Most of the attractions were on the European side starting with the  

Dolmabahce Mosque 

built exclusively for the sultans.

 The 19th century Dolmabahce Palace complex 

lies next door with its centuries-old trees along the gate.

  A bit further down is the Four Seasons, formerly a state guest house.

Now that's the type of guest house I wouldn't mind staying in!

The Ciragan Palace was once an Ottoman residence but burned down in 1910.

Recently it was restored by a hotel chain.

Presidents Clinton and Bush have both been guests.

 On the Asian side, this impressive building named Kuleli was built in the 1800s as an army barracks.  Nowadays, it's a military high school.

Back on the European side lies the Rumeli Fortress, 

built before the conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

At one point in our 1.5 hour journey, we were escorted by

these sweet dolphins much to all of our delight! 

A nice critter fix for me!

 

As we neared the Black Sea, we could feel the cool temperature change as the breeze picked up.

You can see some navigation markers due to dangerous hidden rocks that make navigation 

difficult.  It all felt so foreboding!

We arrived at our destination of Anadolu Kavagi on the Asian side 

and spent a little time exploring and enjoying a nice lunch on the water. 

 I have no idea who that man is in

the reflection but I like the reflection of the opposite shore.

The town was small and lazy and I couldn't resist including some animal critters.  As I mentioned before, many animals are homeless but it seems that somehow they find food.

Lorena J. Asp, a professor and has a blog called NU Journalism Abroad 2011, writes:

"Most practicing Muslims do not keep dogs as pets because they are generally considered unclean. Also, Muslims – who make up 99 percent of the population in Turkey – believe that angels will not visit a home that contains a dog. And finally, according to Sunni tradition – which accounts for 85 percent of the Muslim world – the prophet Muhammad reportedly did not like dogs, so people of that culture generally stay away from taking them in as pets."

 

"Yet, Islam instructs its followers to take care of all creatures, and so many people feel compelled to offer a bit of food, and fresh water, to the strays that live around the city."

 

 But still, for this girl, it was hard seeing some of these homeless creatures!

This white cat below was the strangest looking cat I have ever seen.

He/she looked like a lion!  Look at that tail!

Now that's cat with attitude!

 

A number of dogs had an ear tag which indicated that they had been neutered and released.

What a sweet smile this pup gave us!

Some of the local kids had fun jumping off the large boats that were docked.

One even scaled up the side of our boat

and jumped off the 3rd story deck!  Yowza!

Nearby, some men were mending fishing nets.

And, of course, yours truly couldn't resist snapping her own reflection!

As we returned to Istanbul later in the day, this was the scene that greeted us.

The city is so overwhelming, that you almost have

to view it from a distance to take in all of its beauty!

 Another post or two and I'll be wrapping up our visit.

It's been fun sharing with you 

and helpful for me to document all the places we visited.

That's what makes blogging so cool ... better than a diary!

Later, my friends,

Where Sultans once walked

We finally made it back home from Istanbul!  It was pretty amazing to be able to walk where Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans once roamed.  A place that at one time, was even declared to be the New Rome and the capital of the Roman Empire. 

I have so much I want to share with you!  For me, the most fascinating and remarkable sites were in Old Town around the Hippodrome, a long, narrow park-like square which was once a Roman chariot racetrack.   I'll try to give you a brief overview of each site, but believe me, there is so much more that could be told!

The Egyptian Obelisk & the Column of Constantine

The Obelisk was carved 1,500 years before the birth of Christ to honor Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III and was brought here on the Upper Nile in the 4th century A.D.  It was a huge piece of construction with only the upper third of the original now being viewed.

Behind the Obelisk in the photo is the Column of Constantine that was built in the 4th century A.D. 

The Blue Mosque

My favorite of all the sites was The Blue Mosque.  With its 6 minarets, it is named for the rich blue color of the handmade ceramic tiles.  It was built in the 17th century by Sultan Ahmet to rival Hagia Sophia (which comes later in this post).  The enormous central dome can fit Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral or the Statue of Liberty minus the torch.  Many of the floral designed stained glass windows are original.

This was the pinnacle of Ottoman architecture and marked the beginning of the empire's decline.  
It is still used as a mosque today.

Topkapi Palace

The Topkapi Palace, with its many pavilions, courtyards and 16th century kitchens, was built on the remains of ancient Byzantium.  Not only was it the residence of many great sultans but it served as the administrative palace.  The rich colorful detail took my breath away.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia has been called the greatest house of worship in the Christian and Muslim worlds.  Built in 537 A.D (!)  it was the single greatest achievement of the Byzantine Empire with its mosaics and beautiful fine marble.  First a church, then a mosque, it now serves as a museum.  Take a look at the marble in this place.  Just gorgeous and some of those pieces are huge!

Underground Cistern

The underground cistern was built in the 6th century A.D. to store water for the city.  It is the size of two football fields and once held 27 million gallons of water.  336 recycled Roman columns support the brick ceiling.  A walkway has been built above the foot high water which these days is the home of various fish which help keep the water clean.

Hope I haven't bored you yet with a little of Istanbul's history.

These pictures can not adequately illustrate the

richness of this remarkable place.

Over the next few days, I'll share some of our other

adventures!

And in the meantime, I hope to catch up with all of you

and see what you have been up to!

Later, my friends!