The restless sleep of a first night in a different time-zone on the opposite side of the world was had. Light had not quite yet begun to show itself but through the double glazed hotel windows I could hear the noise. I pull back the curtains and crack open the window and it floats in the room. The call to prayer. This is what is wonderful about travel the sound makes the live connection to all those movies, and books and stories through which I have vicariously heard the sound before. This time I am here in this time and moment.
the experience is enhanced by the big super moon hanging low in the sky. The same one that my grandson was messaging in frustration about the day before because he could not see it through the clouds and he was anwaiting the event with his telescope and now it has arrived in the place outside my window the same moon. I endeavour to take a night photo but it cannot be done holding my hand out the window trying to balance a camera for a night shot so I have to wait until light.
The full moon over Istanbul
Over my day and into his next night the moon travels back and my mokopuna is blessed that he can finally see it and through his telescope he takes a picture and sends it to me. The wide world closes up as the same moon bats back and forth between us.
Mokopuna moon
Today is our pre cruise tour day so we head off to meet downstairs, I shan’t dwell here on “tour” stuff as have decided to keep that seperate and maybe if time fits tell ya later.
First stop is the “Blue Mosque”. I didn’t actually find it that Blue. But it’s like all things in all religions built for worship in that it is undeniably beautiful and intricate and mind boggling in how it was created in a time centuries ago.
Then its to the grand bazaar one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world with its 22 gates. It did not live up to any expectations of hundreds of locals selling their authentic wares. It was busy and hot and nothing looked quite real. Yet it was full of people trying to make a living. Some were pushy and domineering and others simply played on their phones. What was noticeable to me was it was all men. Seldom any woman. Men selling everything to anyone. Men talking and gathering. Later in the day our bus drove around the Golden horn and you could see men sunbathing and swimming. Some in solitude and some in groups but no women. I wondered where they were on this hot afternoon, the women of Istanbul.
We wander back out, careful to ensure we are at the same gate as going in and there are some steps up to the side of yet another mosque next to the Bazaar. We find ourselves at the back of the bazaar looking down and it’s chaotic and haphazard.
We board the bus and next stop is lunch on a boat that takes us up the Bosphorus Strait. The rest is welcome albeit that the heat is still unrelenting. I shall tell you later about our unfortunate table.
It’s back on land to another mosque the Hagia Sophia which was a church and was turned into a mosque. The history is fascinating and I take a picture in the entrance of the millions of gold tiles used. The church was built in just five years with 1000’s of slaves and workers but then the camera battery goes dead so take my word that the largest dome built was quite spectacular.
Next we are off to the Basilica cistern. I had no idea what it was and had read it as a citadel so was sort of hoping it wasn’t another religious based event as i was sort of done with those for the day. But we ventured underground down some dark step into a huge cavernous room held up by hundreds of pillars. It was where they stored water for the city of Constantinople and was built in the 6th century. It was quite amazing that here it sits in this age, just as it was.
The day is done and it’s been a big one. It’s time to head back to the hotel but as a bridge is closed it takes over an hour and half to go the 12 kilometres that it took us 20 minutes to travel this morning. As i watch a child no older than maybe 10 run along the road in the menacing traffic trying to sell water I cannot but help think of this city as the tale of two. The pampered children I had seen earlier in the day with their exuberant demands to this. With Europe on one side and Asia on the other. With men in one place and women in the another. The beautiful and intricate buildings and the haphazard backstory.
It’s been a big day.