Day II- evening

We walk out of Suleimaniye Camii to a great sight. It is the beautiful game, and it is being played on concrete by a clutch of youngsters aged anywhere between 8 and 20-something. It’s the kind of sight you’d see in India with a makeshift bat and stumps stuck in the mud, or drawn on a wall. One of them sets on our way (we are looking to go to Eminonu)- it would seem its just one long street. As we begin the walk, we notice yet again the deserted look this street, too, wears. It is nearing iftar time again. We chance upon an open shop and buy some water and coke for later, and continue on what seems to be a completely dead stretch- shutters are down and doors are shut. It is only after a while do we realise that it is also Sunday- so this market is shut for the day anyway. It is a great walk- all downhill, all cobblestoned, and hardly any no people. It feels like we are in a ghost town, or survivors from some alien attack or something. (Calm down, my friend)


At Eminonu, D finally has her first doner kebap. It is only Day 2, but she’s been thinking about these (very cheap) snacks since we began planning on Turkey. It sure is cheap- only YTL 1.5, less than one Euro! She likes it but less than she hoped- the bread is crusty (though soft from the inside), and it takes a toll of the roof of her mouth!

Walking on in front of the Yeni Camii, and the now beautifully lit mosque we have just visited in the distance, we come to the Eminonu bus stand to take the good ‘ol T4 bus to Taksim Square, and so back to Istiklal Cadessi.



in: travel / turkey / turkey travel / istanbul / dna day2

day II- suleimaniye camii

Actually, this was not on our original list of things to do. We had thought we would visit another mosque besides the most famous one, but had left it open. Early signs had suggested the Rustum Pasa Mosque- which has been often described as small but exquisite.

But the Suleimaniye Camii demands to be seen up close. Imposing and unforgettable in the Istanbul skyline- particularly so during sunset- it is a quietly confident presence. An emperor calmly but irresistibly summoning a commoner from afar. It may sound corny, but really- seeing it from a distance you just can’t ignore it.
To be honest, seeing it up close doesn’t do justice to its distant majesty. The compound is relatively small, its gardens appearing meagre and less manicured compared to what we have seen earlier in the day. The Mosque towers above, many of its cluttered domes lost with the craning of heads. But we step in (which we did right away, as soon as we realised we could), and take in our breath. The walls are not intricately done up, nor are there grand arches and domes. What there is, is light. Golden, flowing light. Light from the high ceiling to touching height above us. Light from countless little bulbs, but you would think they’re all glowing candles. For once, you don’t really to have imagine how this must have been when there was only flame to light it up.
It is time to sit, quietly, and take it in. The people praying, awash in such dramatic lighting, the silence, the calm…except I don’t. D does, but I try to take photos, because I know we don’t have time for me to do both.

Outside it is grey and sombre; and not just the sky. Of the tombs in the east side some are ornate and important, many nameless, and all tragic. We don’t know exactly what it is, but both of us feel this terrible sadness all around- as if this is not just ancient history, but an all too recent and heartbreaking past. We don’t venture everywhere here, for it feels like we are intruding, rudely prying on strangers’ intimate moments. It is arresting, but we must not linger…

in: travel / turkey / turkey travel / istanbul / dna day2

day II- afternoon

We listen to the LP-again- for lunch, and find ourselves on a tiny street just off Divan Yolu. Karadeniz Aile Pide & Kebap Salonu is a small place, and at this time of day not a very crowded one. Ravenous, we quickly order what turns out to be scrumptious lentil soup. Soon after, D’s Iskender Kebap (ok, now this is famous) and my payneer pide arrive. We launch into them with unabashed gusto, and I officially decide I love Turkish pide and the cheese they use on it. D is a little disappointed by her dish- especially following the hype around it. We are served by a completely spaced out but smiling chap- and we keep recalling that these people- cooking, serving, smelling food are hungry all bloody day. It’s a tough call, and we admire their relative cheer.
The only sore point is this American trio sitting behind us- a mother with her daughter and daughter’s boyfriend. The girl, in particular, was the kind that conformed to the stereotype we are always told is not genuine- loud, fake-sounding and generally irritating. Her poor mum.

After a quick trip to the hotel room to stock up on, ahem, essentials (we will now return only at night), we are back at the tram station heading two stops away to towards Beyazit, and then to that mosque we have only seen from afar- the Suleimaniye Camii. It is late afternoon now, so we must hurry, under grey clouds and fading light.

We have been told, alternatively, that it better to alight at Beyazit, and also at the next stop- University- and then walk to the mosque. Getting off at the former, we get a bit lost- roaming around, there's Beyazit Camii right there, which is small but inviting in a non-touristy, full-of-character way (we don’t have the time though). Then (futilely) saying “Englisje?” many times in the pigeon-filled expanse outside Istanbul University. Then through a crowded local market, and we are- apparently- very close.

On this last stretch we are guided by a young couple- surely college students and so into each other- who are walking toward us; but seeing they can not really explain the directions to us (they know pretty much no English at all), they promptly turn around and lead us to the final turn in a smiley but mostly quiet walk. And suddenly, past shops selling rubber, stockings, nargilehs, apricots and god knows what else, we are on a quiet cobblestoned street and at the back entrance of our destination.

in: travel / turkey / turkey travel / istanbul / turkey-food / dna day2

Day II- a topkapi affair

7.15am
It is drizzling outside. Our second breakfast is had, still on the terrace, under a small canopy. The rain is very slight, or kin-min as D has always called this sort of drizzle. By the time we set off, it has stopped, but grey clouds hang overhead far more suggestively than the day before. We are headed for Topkapi Palace (just behind the Ayasofya), and like good LP and TTP readers, we mean to get there early to grab a spot in the first set of people allowed into the Harem. Pre-Topkapi info in short:

It is a Palace, a huge palace.
Ottoman.
Functional till early 20th century.
It contains palace grounds, different buildings of the palace, the famous Harem and a treasury Museum.

These last two are tickets over and above the YTL10 to enter the Topkapi Palace grounds. All told, if we are to buy tickets for the three of them, we’d spend about 45Euros between the two of us (!). So the treasury has been, already, struck out. Shrugged our shoulders, we did, back home deciding this. On a budget one has to live with these things.

At the ticket counter, I start to waiver. Weakness creeps in- “Should we just go the whole hog, D?”. Dither. Counter reached. Main entry obtained. Step back. Dither. Stand. Look at other person. “Ah, f*** it”. We buy the Treasury ticket, and we shall not regret it. In a flash we are at the Harem entrance, buying the ticket there. People have audio guides, outsized cellphone-like things that you can punch numbers into and listen to relevant info. But this is a guided tour (as part of the ticket), and we are first in line at the Harem Door. It is not 10am yet.

The Harem is exactly that- a large area that used to house all of the Sultan’s women. Including his mother. In fact, she was the one who would choose women for him. With hundreds (literally) to choose from, I doubt he could complain- in fact there were so many that many of them entered as virgins and stayed as virgins. There were no males allowed (except the princes who were in secluded quarters for fear that all the women would try and kill of others’ sons!). All the guards were eunuchs. Black eunuchs from Africa. The only male in the place was the Sultan. It sounds all funny and bizarre now but walking through the rooms, bathrooms and corridors, with the guide (who is excellent) telling you beguiling stories, the extent of strangeness and disconnect from that time, that world, that way of living, truly boggles the mind. D listens to all the stories closely, I less so- I am busy trying to take pics. The tour is over in less than 3/4ths of an hour, but it seems longer- in a good, immersed way.

Outside, the palace grounds stretch out all around us- manicured gardens and beautiful trees- old, old trees. There are tour groups everywhere but the palace is huge enough to let you ignore it- it is divided into sprawling ‘courts’. We stroll through the edge of the Second Court, almost alone, waiting for a loud guide-voice and its owner to pass us by before continuing on to the Palace kitchens, ming vases, gifted model ships in gold and silver and a cold, sleeping dog. I am feeling tired today, I don’t know why- like body-ache sort. But I brave on!

There is the very ornate Divan Salonu or Imperial Council Chamber where the Council would discuss matters of sultanate-shattering importance, and the Sultan would sit behind a grill and listen in. History, it would seem, can be universally sleep-inducing. Or at least on guards.:)

The Third Court houses the Treasury, but before that we walk to a display of some religious items. Curious but not overly excited, we are both amazed by some of the things we find. These are called the Sacred Safekeeping Rooms. Decorated by iznik tiles that we have already gazed at in the Harem, it has the holiest of things- Prophet Mohammed’s sword, tooth, footprint in clay, his leather sandals and strands of his hair , a carved door from Mecca besides much more. Most of these are scarcely fathomable, and thus fascinating.

When we finally make it to the Treasury (all four halls of it), we are so thankful. Of course neither the Sacred Rooms nor the Treasury Museum allow photography (aaargh). At one point we decide to jot down some of the things we have seen in the museum lest we forget them (forget exactly what we saw that is, not the visuals themselves). So here you go:

- an 86 carat diamond surrounded by 49 other diamonds. SPECTACULAR. That’s it. It is the world’s fifth largest and is called the Spoonmaker’s Diamond because it was found in a rubbish dump and purchased by a peddler for three spoons! By the way, D ‘wants’ it. Sure. You won’t be able to sell me and get one of the 49, forget the big fella.
- The famous Topkapi Dagger- I wish I could hold it. (this was what the film in ’64 was about, and the film in 2006 will be)
- A HUGE sword that could be upto 1400 years old, or at the very least 600 years.
- The arm of St. John the Baptist. Yes, the arm. It is cased entirely in gold except the back of the palm where you can see the fingers bones. Next to it, his skull. Bizarre, to say the least.
- Mega sized ‘pendants’, aigrettes, lots of ornate thrones, gorgeous medallions from all over Europe, a whole dish full of emeralds…the list goes on.

The Fourth Court has beautiful views of the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorous at its north-eastern side, while from the other end you can look out to the Golden Horn and see the striking Galata Tower.
This is from a marble terrace with a pool and a couple of structures that are covered in beautiful iznik tiles. Entire walls are covered in these lovely- and expensive- tiles.
It is the back end of Topkapi Palace, and soothing despite some crowds. We take photos, get photos taken, and start to feel hungry. Somewhere on the other side of a long but pleasant walk back through the all the Courts lies lunch. If we aren’t so hungry, we might just linger. But it is about 2.30pm (we walked in at 9.30!), and we must leave these beautiful, sprawling, grand grounds for less lofty purposes.

topkapi photos
in: travel / turkey / turkey travel / istanbul / topkapi / dna day2

comments

i know some of you could not be bothered to go through the bloody word verification to write comments (or use it as an excuse). so here you go- word verification is disabled. If spam becomes too painful and i have the enthu, I'll shift to haloscan and try it out...either way, i am waiting to be inundated with spam comments your invaluable thoughts now
:P

writing woes

There is way too much to write. I cannot stop myself from writing to the extent of detail that I am, for I want it to be as much blow by blow for those who read it as for us- and I am really enjoying it. But this also means I am progressing slowly, and the fear of things fading from freshness is all too real, already. What is one to do.?
Write write write, I suppose. There won’t be so many posts per day for every day, sure- some might just have the one- but there is so much to write about. Small tidbits and remembrances that strike me on the bus and in the bath and as I lay down to sleep- and where will they all end up? As fragments of words and thoughts in time or will they get articulated?
Sigh….