Ch 36, Days 5-13: Exploring Istanbul

Day
6: Istanbul in Ramadan

31.6
kms, Aug 27, 2010

The city is just waking
up the next morning as the Traveler heads as into the more
traditional shopping area… He reaches another of Istanbul's iconic
mosques, Suleyman Mosque and goes inside. Here he finds it was once
more like a miniature city with a school, living quarters and all
kinds of stuff going on inside the mosque complex. The 5 to 10 feet
high tombstones in the graveyards are quite striking, looking like a
forest of carved stone.

He continue on down to
the river that separates the southwestern and northern neighborhoods.
Across the river is a sharp contrast, with a row of gritty hardware
shops and dilapidated boats off to the left, a sharp contrast with
the regal beauty on the other side. But heading up the hill, the
neighborhood quickly starts to improve again--in fact, along these
steep hillside alleys, the Traveler discovers Istanbul’s “music
district”, with dozens of little shops selling all kinds of musical
instruments.

Then at the top of the
hill is Istanbul’s landmark tower, which looks rather “un-Turkish”
in the Traveler's opinion. And for a good reason: in was built in
the 1300s, before the Ottomans took over the city. It's a
cylindrical tower of Romanesque style with arches all around at the
top... a reminder that Istanbul's history stretches far beyond the
Ottoman Era.

Next, along a ridge,
starts the city’s main pedestrian mall. This is the most
“traditional European” part of the city, with stately baroque
facades along the sides, and side alleys leading to beautiful
European style courtyards. Clearly this part of town was developed
during a period of Istanbul’s history when imitating Europe was in
vogue.

Finally, at the end of
the pedestrian mall is Taksim square with a large monument dedicated
to the Turkish fight for independence at the end of World War I. On
the other side, finally the city starts getting a bit more spacious
and modern, and the Traveler finds a nice shady park, where he pulls
out his guitar for his official Istanbul parkbench concert.

From there he continues
on a bit further to a large valley park, which he's been told is one
of the priciest undeveloped chunks of real estate in the world…
then back up to the shore of the Bosphorus, where a beautiful palace
beckons him...

There is surely more to
discover on up along the Bosphorus, but he decides to turn around and
back into the heart of the city. He heads on back along the shore
which is lined with numerous beautiful mosques, all which follow the
basic Turkish model, but with some interesting variations, like one
with a huge windows shaped like an arch. It’s Friday, and it seems
like all the mosques are filled up with worshipers coming for their
Friday prayers-- maybe folks here are more religious than he'd
originally thought.

Back south across the
river, in the museum district, the “Museum of Islamic Contribution
to Science” catches the Traveler's eye. The Traveler has often
heard it said that the Islamic world is “a couple of centuries
behind” in terms of innovation and scientific discoveries. Perhaps
this museum will give some proof to the contrary... so he eagerly
heads inside.

So he goes in to browse
about the displays of Islamic contributions to the fields of
astronomy, medicine, engineering and metalworking... Very important
contributions to say the least. Cutting edge for the time.

But then, the museum
abruptly stops at the year 1500. It shows no scientific breakthroughs
after this point, the time when Western Europe was just getting
starting on its path to enlightenment and discovery.

This is not what the
Traveler was hoping to find...

Now it's time to
experience the Hagia Sophia, the greatest structure in the world at
one time. Built in 537 AD, it was the largest cathedral in the world
for a 1000 years. The age of this building is important in
appreciating its grandeur. Sure, there are larger, fancier and more
decorative buildings than this, but none that have stood the test of
time as much as the Hagia Sophia. And yes, there are older
structures than this, but not with such a massive dome that has
survived countless earthquakes.

Inside the building feels
even more enormous, and the dome, almost impossible to believe.

But the Hagia Sophia is
more than just an amazing architectural feat, it is also a symbol. A
symbol the three way war between Eastern Europe, Western Europe and
Islam.

For hundreds of years,
this was the heart of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Byzantine
Empire, which you might say was was a continuation of the Roman
Empire. Then, in 1204, as Catholics (Western Europeans) bulldozed
through this region in their zeal to reconquer the Holy Land, they
committed terrible atrocities and massacred of their fellow (Eastern)
Christians along the way. For 60 years this building was Catholic
church. Then in was taken over as a Eastern Orthodox church once
again, and remained so for several centuries.

Then can a dark day
for Eastern Orthodoxy once again. 1453, the Muslim Ottomans took over
their beloved capital and converted the Hagia Sophia into a mosque.
Turning a church into a mosque was a symbol of conquest. A symbol
that was Christians used as well when they reconquered Southern Spain
and drove out the Muslims from there. Re-purposing or destroying
places of worship has been a way both Muslims and Christians send a
clear message: “We conquered you!”

Cue in Mustafa Ataturk,
nearly 500 years later. He wanted to create a secular state. He
wanted to send a message that the use of religion as a political
tool of conquest was over. In 1935, he decided that the Hagia Sophia
should be neither mosque nor church. It should be a museum, open to
all to enjoy. It belongs to humanity.

This should be a happy
ending to this symbol of struggle. But unfortunately it isn't.
Right now Turkey has a president who, in defiance to the principles
of the Republic's founder, is using religion as a political tool once
again. The Muslim call to prayer is being issued for the Hagia
Sophia. There are talks of turning it into a mosque once again. Not
because this neighborhood needs a mosque (the Blue Mosque is right
across the street). No, the motives are clearly political. It is to
send a message both to his hardline Muslim supporters as well as
non-Muslims who criticize him or his country. The message is: We
conquered the former capital of Christianity. We are in charge here.
And if you aren't nice to us, we will rub it in.

The past never really
gets forgotten in this part of the world, it just gets buried for a
while. And that means that some past conflicts never really get
fully resolved.

The
Religious Fatah District

The Traveler continues
on, past a beautiful multi-level aqueduct, and into a residential
neighborhood. Suddenly, around a bend, everything changes. He see a
woman dressed in black, her face covered with a niqab. Something
rather unusual to see here in Turkey. Then another... and another.
Walking behind a man in a white robe and sporting a long beard.
Suddenly it hits the Traveler: he's stumbled into a Muslim
fundamentalist neighborhood, unlike any other he's seen in Turkey.

Later a carpet vendor
explains to the Traveler. “We live in two different worlds.
People in this neighborhood would not feel comfortable in our
neighborhood. I would not go to their neighborhood.”

Nobody disturbs the
Traveler. He continues on until he passes this neighborhood and again
you see folks wearing 21^st century attire... The Traveler
wonders what role these fundamentalist will play here in Turkey in
the future.

The Traveler continues
on to a cozy, shady restaurant strip and neighborhood shopping area.
But these restaurants cater to locals, not tourists, and here you do
see a lot of folks waiting patiently at their tables with their food
getting cold, waiting for the “Maghrub” call to prayer,
announcing that they can start eating. Unlike folks at the “free”
break-fast place, they actually take it seriously. The Traveler
joins them, soaking in the Ramadan vibe. In other Muslim countries
people prefer to break their fast in the privacy of their homes. Here
in Turkey, it seems it's more of a community event.

The Traveler continues on
walking, until he reaches the great wall that marks the end of the
old city. Time to head on back. Tomorrow I'll come back and explore
this wall in daylight, he tells himself.

Day
7: The Wall of Istanbul

27.8
kms, Oct 7, 2010

Today
is a gray, rainy day, but this doesn't bother the Traveler. Today he
is going to explore Istanbul's amazing wall. This wall, which once
protected Istanbul on all sides, was one of the greatest
fortifications of its time. It withstood many attacks from Persians,
Rus, Bulgar and Arab tribes. When you stop and think about how
coveted a location Istanbul was (and still is!), it's amazing that
this city has only been successfully conquered a couple of times in
its history. It held its place as capital of the Byzantine Empire
for over a thousand years...

Back
in the Fatah district, the neighborhoods a nice and cozy next to the
wall. Outside, is a vast cemetery. You can follow the wall from
within, on top or the outside at different places. The wall varies
constantly. You can see a cutaway the strata of history, with new
parts build upon the ruins of the old wall. Uncut stone... brick...
then cut stone on top of it... Some gateways have been filled in and
made increasingly smaller 5-6 times, and you can see each arch above
the other.

It
is a fascinating experience... climbing up the towers... going
outside to get a panoramic view... then through a secret entrance to
the inside to find someones house attached to the wall...

You
can almost feel the centuries and centuries of history... the armies
that tried to take over this city time and time again in vain. The
Crusaders did conquer and sack the city in 1204, but their rule did
not last long. It wasn't until 1453 when the Ottomans took over the
city, making a turning point in history. From here they continued to
expand, taking over much of the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern
Europe.

Western
European powers suffered a huge loss. But this loss let them to see
other routes to Asia to bypass the Ottomans. Ottomans ruled the
land, but Spanish, Portuguese—and eventually French and English
learned to rule the seas. And ultimately, ruling the sea, meant
ruling the world.

The
ripple effect of 1453 can still be felt throughout the world to this
day.

Finally
the Traveler reaches the Golden Horn sea inlet, with skyscrapers
rising on the other side, and he's reminded that he is, in fact in
the 21^st century...

He
continu exploring outside the walls, through a dreary
industrial area of muddy streets and shabby workshops... Until he
finally reaches the more cheery residential neighborhoods once again.

Days
8-9: Exploring Esenler

14
kms, Aug 5, 2017, 37.6 kms, Sept 7, 2006

One
thing he notices that he hadn't seen before here in Turkey are groups
of South Asian men walking the streets. They don't appear to be
businessmen, but rather working class men coming to work or look for
work here in Turkey.

Up
until now the Traveler had had the impression that Turkey is an
exporter rather than importer of
workers. This country has more than enough manpower to work its
factories and do all the jobs—from the most menial to the most
complex. There is a lot of internal migration from the poorer states
to the more wealthy—but he'd rarely seen workers who come from
other countries.

He wonders if this is changing—and
wondering what this means for the country. Is this the sign that the
country is prospering, so it needs more workers? Are these South
Asians willing to work for less than what Turks are willing to work
for? On his Journey, he's learned that Turks are willing to work for
very low wages. What does this mean for the future of this country?

Hopefully there will be more answers
up ahead.

Stopping to grab a bit to
eat, a young fellow, eager to practice his English, strikes up a
conversation with the Traveler.

At first he talks
about the difficulties of living in Istanbul. "I'm studying and
also working at a hotel. But I don't make very much—I don't even
have a car!" The Traveler is intrigued at this. So... here in
Istanbul, if you have a job, you sort of feel entitled to have a car?
The traffic here is almost impossible as it is! If the new
generation feels they all "need" to have a car, this could
spell big trouble for this city...

But the fellow doesn't
want to live here in Turkey, he wants to leave the country—but not
for economic reasons. “The country is getting more and more
divided. There are those who fiercely defend the present government
and those who fiercely oppose it. These people can hardly talk to
each other. I don't know what this is going to lead to—but it
concerns me a lot”

The
Traveler ponders on this as he continues to explore the city,
wandering back towards its historic core. He wonders what the future
holds for the new generation of Istanbulites...

Day
10: Exploring with a Friend

7.9
kms, Aug 21, 2012

Today
is going to be a special day. The Traveler has reconnected with an
old friend, Yasin, who he'd met back in the United States. Yasin is
now living here in Istanbul, and is free today to re-explore the city
together. It's going to be a fun day.

Yasin
immigrated to the United States several years ago, finished his
studies and became a US citizen. Then he did something that it seems
doesn't happen that often: he moved back to
Turkey to work here.

"Turkey has a real
shortage of people who speak English well. So with an engineering
degree, it's almost certain that I'll get a good job here. And my
wife has a good job here as well... so we thought it over and decided
that coming back here would be the best choice."

The Traveler finds this
interesting. Obviously the United States is much more "the Land
of Opportunity" than Turkey is—for the guy working an average
job. But for a Turkish-American with an engineering degree...
Turkey might actually be the best choice.

"The
pay is good here... but the cost of living is high. Just to buy a
small apartment is very expensive. And gas costs 5 times as much as
it does in the US. And yet—you see the roads completely full of
cars! I don't understand how people can afford it."

Yasin goes on to explain
how the education system works here. "Everyone wants to get
into the national universities—but it's very difficult and
competitive. So a lot of people have to settle for studying in
private colleges and instititutes—but there's not guarantee you'll
get a job if you study at one of those institutes."

They
walk together up Istiklal Avenue, Istanbul's main European-style
pedestrian street, as Yasin explains to the Traveler the history of
this area. "Towards the end of the 19^th
century, the Ottomans became much more interested in imitating
European fashions. That's why on this street you see buildings from
all the main European styles of that time: Neo-Classical...
Neo-Gothic... Beaux Arts..."

They pause to grab some
breakfast, and Yasin insists on getting a full spread of Turkish
delicacies. Afterwards he pulls the same trick others have played on
the Traveler here in Turkey... he tells the waiter in Turkish not to
accept money from the Traveler... and the waiter obeys. And
throughout the day, no matter how hard the Traveler tries to take a
turn paying for something, Yasin refuses to let him, determined to
play the role of host...

suspension bridge that stretches across the
Bosphorus, and hop on a mini-cruise up the Straits. From here you
get a different perspective on the beautiful shoreline, with luxury
homes rising up the steep slopes.

"Building new homes
along the Strait is severely restricted—so the houses that are
here, are extremely expensive. The more view you have of the
Bosphorus, the more expensive it it. And many people rent out their
houses for TV/movie locations..."

"Yes... I've
noticed, it seems almost every Turkish movie or TV series is filmed
with a view of the Bosphorus Straits..." the Traveler points
out.

They head on back to the
city, where the Traveler meets Yasin's wife. She lived with him in
the US for a while. "Which do you prefer, Turkey or the US?"
the Traveler asks.

"I enjoyed the
USA... I could live there" she responds. "But I enjoy it
here as well. Since I have a good job here, I prefer it here."

Finally the Traveler bids
farewell to Yasin and his wife... and they go their separate ways.
Exploring this city again with a good friend—who is also very
knowledgeable about Turkey and its culture, has been a special treat

Day
11-12: A New Set of Eyes

24.1
kms, March
28, 5.2 kms, April 3, 2011

Today
the Traveler will have an experience unlike any other during his
entire time in West Asia. It is the break of dawn, and he is on the
Asian side of the Bosphorus. But he is not alone.

Next
to him is a Lady, the Lady. And they are taking the ferry across
the Bosphorus together.

The
Traveler has made this crossing already He has gazed out to the
magical Old Istanbul skyline, with its beautiful bridge... its forest
of sky piercing minarets, it's steep hills, castles, towers and
iconic landmarks. There's nothing new for him to see.

But
this morning crossing will be unforgettable, because he is seeing
Istanbul through someone else's else. The Lady has never been here
before, and she is in awe at the beauty of this place. And what she
feels, he feels.

This
is a new experience for the Traveler. Throughout his Journey, so
much has been about what he is
seeing and experiencing. He has
been the main actor in this movie that revolves around his
adventures. Once a place has been explored, he then moves on, always
in search of a new experience and discovery.

Today, however, he is
enjoying the beauty of a vicarious experience. Focusing his energy
on someone else's feelings. Sharing a segment of his Journey with
someone.

As dawn breaks on the
horizon, they gaze out together, soaking in every change in shade...
finally reaching the still quiet European side.

Stepping ashore, they
walk up the narrow winding streets together. The Lady notices how
clean the city is—and how classy people dress here. Even the fellow
selling Turkish doughnuts on the street is wearing nice, polished
shoes, a dress shirt and looks like he just paid a visit to the
barber. She also notices how safe it feels her, both on the streets
and in the crowded public transportation--something she doesn't feel
walking the streets of her own country Morocco.

Since she is feeling
tired, having arrived in the middle of the night from Morocco, the
Traveler suggests they go ahead and check into a hotel. The old, run
down place in the heart of the old city he'd stayed in several times
seemed fine when he was alone, but now in the Lady's company, he
notices that it's not very clean and not really suitable for her...
but she's tired, so they go ahead and decide to stay there for now.

The Traveler reminds
himself that, when Traveling with the lady's company, he must adjust
his pace. But he doesn't mind in the least. It's going to be a
wonderful experience discovering Istanbul all over again together.

So he takes her on a tour
to all the highlights... They soak in the grandeur of the Haggia
Sophia and the Blue Mosque... then down the hill the the sea side to
visit the spice market. Here, the Traveler finds out that many
shopkeepers here actually speak a bit of Arabic—as there are many
Arab tourists and businessmen who come to this area. The Lady buys
some spices... only to find out that right outside this touristy
market she can get much better prices.

The continue on up
alongside the river, then on up Ataturk Boulevard to see the grand
Valens Aqueduct, which brought water into the city back in Roman
times...still standing proud with car lanes going under each arch.

Back towards the Old
City, they head into the Grand Bazaar, which again feels very safe
and clean compared to the traditional markets of Morocco—although
much less authentic. Exploring a market in Morocco and you feel you
are immersed in a true Moroccan experience. The Grand Bazaar, as one
Moroccan puts it, feels a bit like a Disneyland version of a Middle
Eastern market...

The evening ends with a
magical touch... another walk along the sea at dusk, hearing the
long, melodic calls to prayer coming from many different
directions... wandering up an alley to come across a show with
whirling dervishes spinning around and around in their trance like
state.

Sharing this moment with
the Lady... it's about as magical as Istanbul can get.

Day
13. Prince's Island

3.4
kms, March 29, 2011

After taking a stroll
through the more European side, heading towards Taksim, The Traveler
and the lady decide to take a ferry to an island a couple miles south
down the Bosphorus Straits. Princess Island, while still technically
part of Istanbul, is works apart, with it faded but still beautiful
wooden houses. Here you can explore only by foot, bicycle or horse
buggy, making this place feel like a trip to a bygone era...