M-whY

If you really want to know, I can say that I hung out near the water most of the time. During the day, I'd find an empty bench and watch fisherman land fish after fish; In the evenings, I ate at the mobile vendors rolled in to grill the day's catch. It was a simple routine. I got to know which carts made the best fish sandwiches, which ones tended to overcook the filets. More relaxing than exciting, and not what the typical visitor comes to Istanbul to do, but as the end of my trip is approaching, I wanted the energy to finish with a flourish.

So back to the present day. I woke up and sifted through my pile of dirty clothes, trying to find the least offensive smelling bits to wear. Judging from what I came up with, laundry day should be coming soon. For now though, it didn't matter. Stuffed into my boots, my socks wouldn't knock anyone out. Invigorated by the bright day outside, I began my first real day as a tourist in Istanbul.

Deciding what to see first was like choosing between pie and cake, knowing I could have both before the day was through. Why not begin with Aya Sofya then, one of two edifices that dominate Istanbul's skyline. Initially constructed when the city was still called Constantinople, it was the era's finest cathedral. Natural disasters and human rioting forced several rebuildings, and the surviving structure comes from Justinian's efforts in the 6th century. The arrival of Mehmet the Conqueror and the Ottoman Turks saw the basilica transformed into a mosque: Marble crosses were chipped away, wooden medallions bearing arabic inscriptions hung, and an off center chamber facing in the direction of mecca added. In 1935, the much revered Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, declared the building a museum, putting an end to the controversy which faith it really belonged to. This move allowed early mosaics that had been plastered over to be restored; Images of the virgin and child in what appeared to be an Muslim mosque had me bewildered for a moment until I learned the history.

Right next door was the Blue Mosque, a similarly domed structure popularly thought to have been built to outshine it's neighbor. It's six minarets created controversy during construction, as it equaled the number of the holy shrine in Mecca. The solution: Add a seventh to Great Mosque. I was sitting in the courtyard, waiting for prayers to end and tourists allowed inside, when I learned that, being friday, it might take a while. To make the best use of my time, I elected to come back later, and left via the main entrance to where the ancient Hippodrome used to be. I don't know why, but when I think 'Hippodrome', I think bowling alley. The 'pins' then would be the Egyption Obelisk, Serpent Column, and Column of Constantine. The bases of each were a few feet beneath city level, evidence as to how old they are.

My self guided walking tour brought me to the Sunken Palace, a cleverly lit underground chamber that was once used in a James Bond film. The vast cistern used to store the city's water during periods of siege, and today the pools are still maybe a couple feet deep. In one of the corners, two columns featuring Medusa's head as bases were a fascinating sight, though why they were placed sideways and upside down wasn't clearly explained to me. By the time I was through here, the Blue Mosque had opened to the public, and I doubled back to see the interior. Before entering, we were required to remove our shoes and carry them in bags. Acutely aware that my socks stunk, I hoped no one else would notice and be offended I was stepping on their prayer carpets. Most people were probably too busy looking up to notice, though afterwards, I thought it'd be proper to dedicate the rest of the day to laundry.

So I'll share one revelation I had. I've decided that fish sandwiches are good and I like eating them. That night, dressed in fresh-out-of-the-dryer clothes, I returned to the mobile carts and had three more. Maybe next time, if I ever find myself with nothing to do again, I'll buy a fishing rod try to catch my own.

Thanks to everyone for their support and comments! Knowing people are reading keeps me motivated to continue the updates!