Istanbul—Turkey, Day 2 — this encore life

Our hotel is so perfectly located—a block from Hagia Sophia, 5 blocks from the Blue Mosque, 2 minutes from the Basilica Cistern,and a relaxing 10 minute walk to the Grand Bazaar. Hotel Kybele is a darling place—but not for those who aren’t into steps and “snug” surrounds. I happen to love it, and as I mentioned, location is everything.

First things first—the water was nice and hot for morning showers and the breakfast of eggs, bread, olives, tomatoes/cucumbers, juice, fruit and coffee/tea was tasty. We switched our itinerary a bit to “inside” tours, as the weather was cool and showers were possible.

Kitties everywhere. This one on the Hippodrome was snuggly sweet

Hippodrome. Women weren’t allowed to attend the races there!

The hippodrome was first on the list (no horses and chariots this time) and then on to the Sultanahmet Mosque, known fondly as the Blue Mosque. It was the first mosque to have 6 minarets and was built at the request of (who else?) Sultan Ahmed. After 7.5 years, the mosque opened in 1616. Removing shoes was required for everyone, and women covered their heads with scarves. I’d never been in such a huge place where the floors were covered with carpet, but Muslim prayers are performed on the floor, so it makes sense to be a bit more comfortable with carpet. The mosque itself is not blue, but rather blue is the dominant color of the interior. Lovely.

Women pray behind the shelving for shoe storage at the Blue Mosque

Putting shoes back on as we leave the Blue Mosque

Naturally a group needs potty stops, and I was delighted to find our first one featured modern “squat” potties. These are really the most hygienic toilets, but you’ve got to squat and be VERY careful to aim at the drain. Then you simply turn on the water connected to a hose and clean the area with spray. Tada!

So much easier for guys to use these “squat” potties

Hagia Sophia was just across the park sprinkled with gardens of tulips. Tulips actually originated in Turkey and the Dutch transported bulbs back to Holland where the growing season and soil were perfect for them. At least that’s the story…. The Byzantine Emperor Constantius commissioned the construction of the first Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) in 360 AD. This wooden structure burned to the ground in 404 AD and a new Hagia Sophia was completed in 415, but it too burned. Finally a third Hagia Sophia was finished in 537 and is now a museum, but formerly it was a Greek Orthodox church filled with delicate mosaics, a few which remain visible today. Loved hearing that some pillars like a few in Hagia Sophia were often “recycled” from other buildings.

Mosaic of the Virgin Mary inside Hagia Sophia

One of the few mosaics left to see in Hagia Sophia

After a lunch filled with appetizers, main dish, dessert and my first Turkish coffee (hold the sugar, please), we ventured down into the Basilica Cistern that had once provided water for the city. Now under renovation, the water was all but gone, though renovators unearthed Medusa heads at the base of two columns.

Then on to the Grand Bazaar. Ann Marie has written an entire book about this 4000-stall bazaar. The place is huge (61 covered streets), making it a perfect destination, given the forecast of rain. It’s one of the world’s largest and oldest (1455) bazaars. Entering through Gate One, our guide showed us the network of walkways and I decided it would be extremely easy to become disoriented. I was surprised at the number of gem shops, but of course candy, leather, scarf, and gold/silver jewelry shops were everywhere as well.

After a happy hour drinks in the hotel’s lobby, we ventured out to another shopping area and were pleasantly surprised to be invited to dinner by one of Ann’s friends who just happens to own a rug shop. Gorgeous carpets and kilims!. We had a light dinner and watched a Whirling Derby performance. Our knees are tired, but we put in over 14,000 steps today. A good workout!

Turkish beer. This one is a bit like Stella

The relaxing lobby at the Kybele. Notice the hanging lamps.