Day 2: Turkey

Turkey day 2:  

I  started off with a late wake up and an even slower start.  Highlights included walking through topagi palace, hagia sofia, blue mosque, trying to find the blue mosque, snacking, blue mosque again . Basically being a tourist!! 

Giant Squirrel Statue in Topagi Park

I did a lot if the random things yesterday and I planned for today to be for all things touristy. I walked to the left, a new path, because instead if going through the small paths like I normally like to do but get lost I chose to follow the main tram line. Somehow through all my organized wanderings I still managed to not know where I was. I found a park and decided that it looked pleasant so in to it I walked. It turned out to be the Topagi palace, a big tourist area and park. That is where some old guy lived. There are giant sculptures of bears and squirrels and other strange inhabitants.  As I sat down I was approached by two Koreans. ‘Do you speak English’. ‘Yes’.  Usually that means I'm lost can you help me. Not this time. ‘We would like to teach you about god the mother. You already know about god the father but there is also god the mother’. An interesting concept. I listened to their schbeil. I was interested. In Judaism we believe that there are different aspects of god but only one. In their views, there are separate gods. Interesting. I specifically told them that I was interested in what they told me but that I had differing views and that I would respect them as long as they respected me. I don't fully understand Judaism and the torah but I do not appreciate someone else telling me that what I believe is wrong. I listened up to the point where they were using evidence from the new testament, which as I told them, is irrelevant to me. They gave me a paper and I took it but I definitely will not be calling that number. 

View from Hagia Sophia

I then made my way into the extremely touristy area of they city. Wow there were foreigners everywhere. First stop Hagia Sophia pronounced Aya Sophia. For a tourist attraction and church  it's pretty expensive and then on top of that you can rent the audio tour. It's really big and beautiful and I would recommend others to go there because it's one of those things that you have to go to while you are in Istanbul.  I remember that it was a lot bigger than I was expecting. After going through the church main floor there is also the top floor and then some outside parts. 

Me, in Hagia Sofia

I then put my map away because there were so many tourist signs everywhere. Bad idea. I went to the blue mosque thats native name is obviously not that but is remarked suyimddfjfkde. After wandering throughout that which I thought was the nicest mosque in the area I kept trying to find what I knew as the Blue Mosque. I ended up walking for hours trying to find this only to discover that I had already been there. Whoops. The best part about mosques there is that you have to take off your shoes. Normally it's an annoyance but here thousands of years ago ancient Muslims decided that they needed to have a way to clean their feet after walking around barefooted. There are giant feet washing stations where people just plop down and take a little break to wash their feet and bring some cold water to their faces. It's a really great thing to do after prayers (or after a long day of walking). 

Me, at the Blue Mosque

Throughout my walk, I found a local fountain filled with native shops and people. I saw a candy store that sells Turkish delight and well I had been in turkey for two days and hadn't yet tried this delicacy.  Actually I'm not really sure if I've ever had it. I mostly only know about it from Narnia. I looked at the guy and pantomimed what I wanted. I generally try to order very few of things I don’t know but it's hard to do that in a land where I don’t speak the language. He gave me three of two different kinds: one covered in powered sugar topped with a peanut the other one see-through but filled with cashews . Turkish delight is actually pretty good. Purely sugar but not bad. I really looked the cashed one, no surprise there. The added flavor of the nut throughout the delight made it taste so good. 

I found little concerts by the Blue mosque and so I sat down and enjoyed them.  A typical Turkish band played a few songs and then an hour later a solo singer came and sang.  He wasn’t very good or entertaining, but when he wasn’t singing, he would clap his hands in the daintiest manner; I burst out laughing every time he starting clapping.

Feet Washing Station!

I tried going to the outside bazaar for dinner but everything was already closed so I returned to the fish boat for dinner again.   I walked around outside for a while before heading back to my room where I met Albert. He's from Korea and would be my only roommate for the next two days. He has a friend living in the city who could give him advice and talk for him. That would be nice. Luckily I will have Allert in a couple of days to take me around Holland. He kept talking about wanting to go to a hammam the next day which inspired me to do the same but separately. 

The Blue Mosque

A random extra Mosque

View from inside a Mosque