oday we did it. Today we became tourists. Yes, I know we've been tourists all along but today we embraced it and did our first really, truly touristy things. But they were SO amazing, I didn't even care that I was a tourist..
This morning we headed to Sultanahmet, the ancient district of Istanbul, and made our first stop the world famous Hagia Sophia. The current structure, the third incarnation (the first two 
burned down), was built around 535 AD. I have never stood in anything so ancient; it was pretty awesome to behold. It was a church for nearly 1,000 years (in fact, the largest cathedral in the world at that time) but was converted to a mosque in 1453 when Constantinople was taken over by the Ottoman Turks. It's amazing to look at it now and imagine how such magnificent work would have been done back then, all by hand. The tile work, the mosaics, the paintings, the architecture, the HUGE dome... amazing. We wandered around for a couple hours, most of which we spent looking upward and gaping at the marvel of it. We also to
ok about a thousand pictures, not one of which truly captures the awesomenss of the place. Typical tourists.
burned down), was built around 535 AD. I have never stood in anything so ancient; it was pretty awesome to behold. It was a church for nearly 1,000 years (in fact, the largest cathedral in the world at that time) but was converted to a mosque in 1453 when Constantinople was taken over by the Ottoman Turks. It's amazing to look at it now and imagine how such magnificent work would have been done back then, all by hand. The tile work, the mosaics, the paintings, the architecture, the HUGE dome... amazing. We wandered around for a couple hours, most of which we spent looking upward and gaping at the marvel of it. We also to
ok about a thousand pictures, not one of which truly captures the awesomenss of the place. Typical tourists.We then walked through a nearby park which is right in between the Hagia Sophia and.... the Blue Mosque, the most famous mosque in Turkey. It was built in the early 1600s (funny how after being in something from the 400s, you suddenly look at something from the 1600s and think of it as "new") and is renowned for its blue tile work (obviously) and its size and beauty. It is s
till used daily as a mosque but is also open to visitors between prayer times. We waited in a pretty hefty line (tourists always do) but it was SO worth it. I was wearing a skirt so had to cover my legs with a wrap the mosque provided me as well as to take my shoes off (as does everyone). It was actually my first time in a mosque and it was quite fascinating to see the men praying in the traditional way. The women aren't allowed in the main prayer area of the mosque and 
have a separate, very small section reserved just for them. Again, lots of pictures of a thing that a picture just can't capture.
till used daily as a mosque but is also open to visitors between prayer times. We waited in a pretty hefty line (tourists always do) but it was SO worth it. I was wearing a skirt so had to cover my legs with a wrap the mosque provided me as well as to take my shoes off (as does everyone). It was actually my first time in a mosque and it was quite fascinating to see the men praying in the traditional way. The women aren't allowed in the main prayer area of the mosque and 
have a separate, very small section reserved just for them. Again, lots of pictures of a thing that a picture just can't capture. I had read that it is most beautiful at dusk so we went back outside and sat in the park between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. We bought some yummy goodies from the street carts you see everywhere (roasted corn on the cob, chai tea, dried corn, pancakes with cheese ins
ide) and waited for the sun to set. It was pretty awesome to be sitting there on a bench, eating traditional Turkish street food and be able to look one direction and see the Hagia Sophia and look the other and see the Blue Mosque. Sometimes being a tourist isn't so bad after all.
ide) and waited for the sun to set. It was pretty awesome to be sitting there on a bench, eating traditional Turkish street food and be able to look one direction and see the Hagia Sophia and look the other and see the Blue Mosque. Sometimes being a tourist isn't so bad after all. 
1 comment:
I'm baaack!! Just caught up with your blog since the weekend. sounds like you have been very busy. Think of all the hours of travel as a means to get to someplace new and exciting.
I understand the feeling you had in the mosque. I remember seeing the aqueducts in Spain and being in total awe that something that old could still be standing. It was hard to believe that we were standing next to something THOUSANDS of years old!!
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