Welcome to Turkey's capitol city! Istanbul boasts unique architecture, bustling business, thriving culture, and a rich history. Read on to learn about my experience as a female traveler in Istanbul.
It's the last stop of my Mediterranean adventure! Today we are in Istanbul, the city that straddles line between Asia and Europe. This gorgeous city looks in parts, like a city from a futuristic sci-fi movie due to all the colorful mosque domes, and in other parts like New York with its modern skyscrapers. To start my day, I first met up with my guide for the day. He was male, and although I'm sure I would have been just fine with a female guide, I was glad that I was accompanied by a man (since more traditional gender roles/constructs are still common in Turkey).
First off, we took a beautiful walk towards a nice cafe and stopped at a small and less touristy Mosque. Inside the mosque, women must cover their hair, and both men and women cover their knees and shoulders and take off their shoes. The small mosque was just as beautiful as others I would see throughout the day. It was here that I was surprised to learn that women are not allowed in the front area of the mosque and can pray in a separate area in the back. We continued on to the cafe where I tried Turkish coffee and Turkish Baklava. I loved the coffee and was pleasantly surprised that the Turkish Baklava was much lighter than the Greek Baklava I had previously tried.
Tips for Touring Mosques:
For Women: Be sure to have your knees and shoulders covered before entering. You can wear short sleeves as long as your head covering is long enough to cover your shoulders and chest as well. Bring a head covering with you! Some but not all mosques will supply thin and difficult to wear head coverings (often for a charge), so bring some kind of scarf or pashmina to cover hair with (hats are generally not acceptable).
For Men: Make sure your shoulders and knees are covered before entering. A tee shirt and pants is a great option.
For All: Shoes must come off in the mosques, so wear shoes that are easy to take on and off. Also consider bringing a small bag to put your shoes in so that you don't have to carry them in your hands - NEVER leave your shoes by the entrance.
From the cafe we drove to a royal mausoleum and let me tell you, the traffic was crazy! Definitely another similarity Istanbul shares with New York. We finally arrived and were able to see Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Türbesi AKA the mausoleum of Sultan Suleyman. Although people are not allowed inside, the doors are open and you are able to look in. The Sultan and other royal men are buried in one building and his wife Hurrem Sultan is buried in a separate building with other royal relatives. Then we went into the mosque portion called the Süleymaniye Mosque (Suleyman). This stunning blue and grey mosque overlooks the city and has a large lawn area where many people were having a picnic lunch or playing games.
Next, we went into the famous Grand Bazar. This huge market is full of things like artisnal lamps, Turkish Delights, jewelry, trinkets, clothing, rugs, pashminas, shoes, tea cups, and so much more. From there, we stopped at a cafe for some Turkish tea and water before making our way to the Column of Constantine built in 328 AD under Constantine the Great.
Tips for visiting The Grand Bazar:
Be Aware of Your Belongings: Although I felt quite safe in Istanbul, like in any crowded tourist area, it is important to keeps your bags closed and close to you. Keep all your items in your sight and take phones and money out of your back pockets to ensure that none of your belongings are taken.
Have a Plan: The bazar is huge, but many of the shops begin to repeat themselves after a while. To ensure that you are not spending your entire day wandering through the bazar, look at a map beforehand to find a route that is good for you and have an idea of what you are sure you want to purchase.
Its Okay to Say No: Shopkeepers in the bazar obviously want your business, so they may call after you and try to get you to come into your store. It is totally fine to say no thank you and keep walking if you aren't interested. Even though it may feel rude, it is also ok to simply keep walking and not engage or say anything. A simple 'No' is always an option as well.
After the bazar, we headed to the famous Blue Mosque AKA the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. The mosque was under heavy construction to repair the interior ceiling when I went, so there was a lot of scaffolding. However, i was able to see portions of the stunning ceiling and the exterior was breathtaking. Then it was on to the next mosque!
The final mosque of the day was the Hagia Sofia Mosque. It was so incredibly beautiful outside, with expansive gardens and fountains, and the interior was just as jaw-dropping. This mosque used to be a Greek Orthodox church, and inside there are many remnants of that history. It is easy to find images of the Virgin Mary and you can even find parts where biblical iconography shows through from underneath layers of paint put overtop. Some of these symbols are covered out of respect for the people that come to pray since Hagia Sofia is an active Mosque, but it is quite interesting to see the symbols of two religions occupying the same space.
Our final stop was the Hippodrome of Constantinople AKA Sultanahmet Square, where we saw three large vertical structures. The first is the Obelisk of Theodosius which has shockingly intact engravings along the base and running up the structure. The Obelisk was built around 1450-1425 BC in Egypt under the Pharaoh Thutmose III but was then transported to Istanbul and set on top of a pedestal during the 4th century AD under Theodosius I. Next is the Serpent Column which dates back to 478 BC was originally located in Delphi but was relocated to the Hippodrome in 324 AD by Constantine the Great. There were once 3 large snake heads on top of the bronze statue, but one of them is on display at a local museum. Finally, there is the Walled Obelisk. The construction date of the obelisk is unknown, but it was repaired and plated in bronze in the 10th century AD under Constantine VII.
Finally, we drove just less than an hour across the city to get dinner at the Park Fora restaurant. Here we ordered similarly to how I have in European countries like Portugal. You order seafood by the fish or kilo and have the option to walk into the fish viewing area to look at the cuts of fish. I had a fabulous meal and truly enjoyed looking out over Istanbul at night. After dinner we drove back to the ship and tucked in for the last night onboard.
Thats all for now! I'll be back soon with more stories from my second day in Istanbul!
Always,
Paris
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