Turkey for Thanksgiving

A week ago Friday, I came home from teaching to finish packing for Istanbul, the first of the two family trips we have planned while we’re here in Bulgaria.  We decided a while ago that we would fly, thinking that it would be easier on Norah than a long bus or train trip, and that it would also make better use of our limited time.  On Saturday morning we headed to the airport for the short flight from Sofia to Turkey’s capital.

Upon arrival we had a nice taxi ride along the Sea of Marmara on our way to our hotel.  Our hotel, the Garden House, was charming and a great find.  Our room was lovely, with a balcony and a Turkish bath.  We particularly appreciated the garden courtyard just below our room, as it gave us a place to relax and enjoy a coffee when Norah napped.

The Blue Mosque.

The hotel is very conveniently located in Istanbul’s old city, so after lunch and a short nap, we ventured out to explore.  We strolled briefly through the Arasta Bazaar on our way to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (and saw—for real—a turkey).  The mosque was built in the early 17th century and is commonly known as the Blue Mosque because of the beautiful blue tile throughout the interior.  It was built with six minarets instead of the usual four, and this initially caused some controversy since it equaled the number of minarets at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.  To resolve this, the sultan eventually paid for the construction of an additional minaret in Mecca.

Our hotel had a wine reception in the courtyard restaurant on Saturday night, and we enjoyed the opportunity to meet some of the other guests.  Norah had fun and received a lot of attention from guests and staff.  This turned out to be a common theme throughout our time in Istanbul.

Hagia Sophia.

Sunday morning we had our first breakfast at the hotel, which was included with our stay.  It was a fantastic spread of fresh and dried fruit, fresh tomato and cucumber, cheeses, boiled eggs, hummus, eggplant salad, nuts, jams, breads, juices and coffee.  It quickly became a highlight of each day.

After breakfast we walked through the Roman Hippodrome to Hagia Sophia.  Built in the 6th century by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, it is an architectural marvel.  It was the largest cathedral in the world until the cathedral in Seville was completed a thousand years later.   After Constantinople was captured by the Ottomans in the 15th century, Hagia Sophia was converted to a mosque and remained so until the new Turkish Republic reopened it as a museum in 1935.  It is truly spectacular and was, in itself, worth the trip.

Sunday afternoon we took the tram from across the Galata Bridge to Istanbul’s new city.  Just after sunset we walked up the hill to the Galata Tower, built in the 14th century as part of Genoese fortifications.  When then continued on to Istikal Street, the major pedestrian street that runs to Taksim Square, the heart of the new city.  After some tasty gelato we took the world’s second oldest underground train (after London) back to the bridge and the tram back to our hotel.

The Basilica Cistern.

On Monday we toured Topkapi Palace, the seat of the Ottoman sultans, and enjoyed the impressive buildings and sweeping views of the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus (which offset the extremely overpriced menu at the café).  We walked to the archaeology museum but found it closed, so after a quick lunch in the park we decided to visit the Basilica Cistern.  This is an amazing site, and was an unexpected highlight of the entire trip.  Like Hagia Sophia, the massive underground chamber was constructed in the 6th century during the reign of Justinian as one of Constantinople’s many cisterns.  It lies beneath a public square and its roof is supported by over 300 marble columns.  We read that it was forgotten but rediscovered during the 1500s and used as a water source for Topkapi Palace.  It is impressive and mysterious.  Norah particularly enjoyed looking for the carp that now glide quietly through the meter-deep water as we walked the boardwalk from end to end.

Inside the Grand Bazaar.

After an afternoon rest, we walked in the fading daylight to the Grand Bazaar for a look at another of Istanbul’s famed institutions.  The bazaar is a bustling place, and we all enjoyed looking through the stalls.  We ate dinner at an Indian restaurant and settled in for our last night at the hotel.

After breakfast on Tuesday we checked out and Sara’s colleague Nükhet and her husband Don met us at the hotel.  Nükhet is from Istanbul and they were visiting her family over the Thanksgiving break.  We headed for the Galata Bridge area and embarked on a wonderful cruise up the Bosphorus, which separates Europe from Asia, with Nükhet pointing out the sights in hometown.  We docked on the north end of the Asian side in the early afternoon and walked up a hill to castle ruins that overlooked the Bosphorus to the south and the Black Sea to the north.  We had lunch at a little restaurant in a scenic spot just below the castle, and then headed back to the boat for the return trip. 

Looking south down the Bosphorus.

We arrived back to the terminal as the sun was setting and walked to the spice market where we bought some dried fruit and Turkish coffee.  Some of Nükhet’s extended family joined us for a lovely dinner at her parents’ home.  Only at breakfast the next morning were we able to fully appreciate the beautiful view of the sea from their beachfront apartment.  We took a walk along the seafront trail in the late morning and had a late lunch on the terrace.  Norah took a brief nap, and we then made the short drive to the airport for our return flight to Sofia.

It was a great trip, and we are already anxious to return to Istanbul.  We were delighted to be able to meet up with Nükhet and Don during our trip, and feel grateful for the hospitality of her entire family.  It added a wonderful personal dimension to a trip where we otherwise would have just been tourists.