Wednesday, February 18, 2015

So much to learn about Istanbul

Blue Mosque
I think I can be forgiven for having mislabeled the picture from my previous post as being inside the Blue Mosque; it was inside Hagia Sophia. And I studied pictures carefully to make sure that I have labeled the above picture correctly. Both structures face one another across the Istanbul Hippodrome, which is now a park. I love the feeling of this picture, soft colors against a dark sky. But I saw and photographed so much in just a few hours that I am now spending time on the Internet learning about each amazing place.

The weather in Istanbul was pretty awful for the two days we toured the sights: somewhere around 2 to 4 degrees C (35-40 F) with wind and rain. I got pretty good with Celsius temperatures while traveling, but it took longer for me to be able to convert Turkish lira to dollars, which meant I often had little idea at the time how much I was paying for something. I bought two Turkish bath towels, handmade and very lovely, for 35 lira each. When I was able finally to figure it out, I realized they each cost me a little more that $14. They are worth it, but I wouldn't usually pay that much for a towel!
Inside the mosque
We had to take off our shoes and women had to cover their heads to enter the mosque, and they provided scarves for women to use if they didn't have one of their own. I learned that the reason it's called Blue Mosque is because of the blue tiles on the walls, and I guess the blue stained glass windows. It was built in only six years, from 1609 to 1616 during the Ottoman Empire, in what was then called Constantinople, renamed Istanbul in 1923.
Catalina, Elsa, and Karen with our guide Hasan
I took this picture inside the mosque while we were touring it. Catalina works with the United Nations and is originally from Colombia (I think); Elsa is from Peru, and Karen is the wife of Mickey, my ex-boss and the person who arranged for me to go to the meeting.

There is a large area for Muslims to pray, and we were separated from it by barriers. Most had already left the area by the time we arrived, as we were not allowed to enter until awhile after the Call for Prayer. Muslims pray five or six times a day, and the minarets have loudspeakers that call or remind them. I could hear them easily from my hotel room and found it a soothing sound from a distance, but when I was near the loudspeakers, it was painful to hear. I made a video that I'll post on YouTube one of these days. For now, I'm absorbing all I saw and learned while in Istanbul. More on Saturday. Tomorrow I'm going hiking with my Trailblazer friends and can hardly wait!
:-)

21 comments:

  1. obviously the fatigue is wearing off quickly! noticed you were up early today, too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a beautiful mosque, the stained glass windows stunning.
    I hope the weather cooperates for your hike tomorrow, no hiking here !
    Hugs,
    ~Jo

    ReplyDelete
  3. That mosque is beautiful. What an amazing experience to visit such a grand place!

    ReplyDelete
  4. So you not only have jet lag but photo lag too! I found the same thing when I toured chicago. Next time I'll write things down. I can tell I'm going to get some interesting history here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. what interesting lines on the roof of that mosque...and what a neat experience to go in as well...enjoy your hike...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Welcome home! I remember Istanbul and all those calls to prayer.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Istanbul is a fascinating city with so much to see. I had to count the number of minarets when I was there as the Blue Mosque is the only one with six.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have heard about this mosque, but I don't think I will ever see it in person, so I thank you for the photos and commentary.
    I hope you get your hike in before the rain arrives.

    ReplyDelete
  9. You really did see the highlights of the city! The Hagia and Blue Mosque are so huge, aren't they? It absolutely blew my mind when I saw them. Did you remember to bring your scarf? I can't believe I forgot and had to borrow one. I wish now that I'd gotten a couple of the eyes. I'm so excited for you and happy that you had such a great time. I can't believe you're already going hiking!

    ReplyDelete
  10. You sound rested up! That is one beautiful mosque...but look at all those people. I hope you have a good hike. It is very cold here lows tonight to be -22F and wind chills to -40. In a few days it may warm up! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is a good picture of the Blue Mosque. Too bad about the weather – it would have been more pleasant for you if it had been sunny and warm. Hope you have recovered and are not so tired.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It looks amazing! Glad you are home safe.

    ReplyDelete
  13. How beautiful! And hard to believe it was built in only six years way back then without the technology we have today.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Really nice You will have a lot to share on your hike.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow. Just WOW. What a great opportunity for you. I am so glad for you. And you are generous to share your trip with readers. I would have loved to go with you. So seeing the photos and hearing your words is second best for me. You look lovely in all photos, and a good example for all of us to take the things given to us in life and cherish the experiences. Hugs to you.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So the blue tiles and blue stained glass windows are the reasons it is called the Blue Mosque. I wondered why and am glad you explained.

    Too bad the weather was so bad, one of the reasons why I prefer to travel during the summer. Better hot than cold, in my opinion.

    Looking forward to more photos.

    ReplyDelete
  17. It looks huge inside! So many stained glass windows.
    It has to be difficult to figure out the difference in currency. I bet you will love those towels. ;)
    Have fun with your friends! You will have a lot to share with them, too.
    Thanks for all that you share with us...all the time. :):)

    ReplyDelete
  18. That first picture is awesome. What a wonderful opportunity you were offered and smart of you to take advantage.
    I hope by now you have gotten in a good hike and that your jet lag is a thing of the past.

    ReplyDelete
  19. What an incredibly beautiful architecture.. outside and in. It must feel like it was all a dream, by now.. but what a beautiful dream from which to awaken.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is a beautiful place. It must have really interesting to tour Istanbul. What a great opportunity you had.

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate your comments! If you see a word verification box here, just ignore it. I don't use the darn thing and Blogger is trying to get us to use it, I guess. Ignore it and your comment will still appear.