Istanbul

Instanbul, Constantinople, call it what you will but you can never call it dull or unexciting.  I was last here almost 30 years ago and indeed it wasn’t dull & definitely not unexciting then but that’s another long story that thankfully didn’t make the papers, (not like the Greek saga).

I’m pleased to say that Istanbul is as exotic, alluring & unusual as always but this time it has something different about it. It has become trendy & sophisticated. While still somehow managing to hang on to old traditions a modern element has crept into ancient & historical Constantinople.

We are not sure if it was the mere fact that our last few ports (Aqaba excluded) were dirty & dingy & steaming hot and this seemed like a true haven or in fact it was a haven in it’s own right but whatever it was, everyone we have spoken to has absolutely loved this city. True, there were the usual touters that constantly called out to you to buy a carpet or their leather goods or whatever, the difference was that with the Egyptians, who wouldn’t leave you alone for a second & you just wanted to slap them away like flies, the Turkish with their dark eyes, long eyelashes and seductive smiles you wanted to ask ’how many carpets would you like me to buy?’  Before you ask I didn’t buy any carpets but I did buy a tea set which I’ve always wanted to buy and it only weights 5ks without the sold brass teapot and he did convince me to buy only the best and most expensive one they had because he promised I wouldn’t be sorry.

Anyhow, I digress. I have since heard from several people who went to the pyramids how the whole trip was spoiled by the hawkers who touched them and manhandled them.  Our poor waiter was grabbed by the waist and thrown onto a camel then the camel stood up and he couldn’t get off.  He had to jump from a great height just to get away.  They got in the way of every camera shot then wanted money, it was hazy anyway so hard to get a good picture and that was the best bits about the day.  Cairo is no better than Alexandria in way of rubbish. Apparently there has been no rubbish collection in all of Egypt for 18 months due to some disagreement.  There were dead animals lying in the streets of both cities and even dead horses on the side of the road so Turkey would not find it hard to beat all of that.

We had an unfortunate day the day before as we were all looking forward to Mykonos, me especially as it was my first day out of the cabin and I love Mykonos & was beside myself with excitement.  There were two other ships in port which meant we had to anchor & tender into shore.  We were due to anchor at 7am & be off the boat shortly afterwards.  On our TV we have a channel that shows our position and gives updates on time, day, date, temp and charts the ships progress.  At 7.10 we still hadn’t stopped and were in full steam mode so I started to watch the TV and saw with horror that Mykonos was behind us.  We had missed the captains message (which is only heard in the hallway or open deck so if your inside you don’t hear a thing) that said due to strong winds it was unsafe to anchor so we were giving it a miss. Well jolly roger to the bloody captain, didn’t he know how devastating this was?  Didn’t he know I had already missed one port and have now missed another?  Apparently not and I don’t think, between you & I that he cared.

So on we sailed to Turkey, the only constellation was we got to sail through the Dardanelles in the daylight.  The Dardanelles is a narrow strait connecting the Aegean Sea to the sea of Marmara.  The other strait in Turkey is the Bosporous  & together they connect the Black sea to the Mediterranean.  The Dardanelles is 61 kms long, 1.2 to 6kms wide and average depth of 55 meters so it is really long and skinny. The other interesting fact is water flows in both directions, one from the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean via a surface current & the other in the opposite direction via an undercurrent. There were plenty of undercurrents after the Captains decision about Mykonos too, I’m not letting that go lightly. 

Moving forward, I got up early so I could watch us sail past the old city into port then was ready with my backpack & wallet, gathered the troops together and gave their instructions for the day and what we were going to do.  I think at this point they were wishing I hadn’t recovered quite so well as I was back & full of good ideas.  All credit to them, they humoured me and off we set.  It was a long walk out of the port and we had intended to walk into town as my plan A was to catch the hop on hop off bus but at the last minute I saw they didn’t start until 9.30am so plan B was to walk.  As we emerged from the gates & everyone strode off I took a pamphlet that someone handed out and here was the bus and as luck would have it, it was sitting across the road waiting for us.  I quickly called the troops back and declared we had reverted to plan A and hustled them across the road (which was extremely busy) like mother duck and bundled them all on the bus.  When we sat down I looked around & saw we were missing one.  I don’t know how she did it as she was right there when we were outside the bus but somehow, quick as a silver fish, Ellen managed to sneak off and was gone before I knew it. I can see I will have to keep a closer eye on that one, she’s just as bad as Jon and can disappear in the blink of an eye.

We chose to sit up top which did have a roof but was open sided so we had an unhindered view. We were having a lovely ride, it was a beautiful day, the sea glistened and we listened to the guide thru our earphones pointing out all the interesting spots and it was all very attractive & clean with some amazing sights like the old city walls which have been around since I think 5th centaury AD.  I can’t remember too clearly as things suddenly took a turn for the worst.  Out of nowhere, a rogue tree branch decided to throw itself halfway up inside the bus and whack Jon across the face before withdrawing. He was sitting in front of me as we both wanted a window seat. I saw the branch and I heard the branch but it was so quick then next thing I knew Jon had half turned to me clutching the side of his face and blood was spouting out everywhere. It was horrifying, I didn’t know what had quite happened.  I started searching for tissues in a panic but luckily Maureen came up with a bag of them then she sent Roger down to alert the driver who managed to pull into a local restaurant just near the fish markets and take Jon into the restrooms there to clean up. It was his nose that was bleeding so badly but bleeding from the outside where the tree had cut through.  It was so lucky it didn’t get him in the eye as there was a cut just above it to. Poor Jon, we were all a bit shaken after that and the worst thing was, he was wearing his favourite tee shirt and it was covered in blood.

As we walked around the market he did get a lot of attention and people asked him what happened.  He even drew the attention of a local plain clothed policeman who wanted to know if there was a problem. I’m not sure why it didn’t hit the guy in front of Jon who deserved it more as he wouldn’t sit still in his seat.  If he was not leaping out of his seat and throwing himself in front of M & R to take photos, often getting in the way of their photos, he was lifting his right cheek off the seat and farting very loudly.  It wasn’t just once either, he did it at least ten times.  I almost whacked him with my brochure once, it was disgusting.

Our first place to visit after leaving the bus was St Sophia or Hagia Sophia. Brief history on Istanbul ,it was first colonised by a Greek called Byzas as he recognised what a great strategic position it was being the narrowest point between Europe & Asia and that the sea lanes between southern Russia and the entire Mediterranean passed here and nowhere else so he founded Byzantium. Nothing like naming a town after yourself. You often see that word described in architecture like a Byzantine Church or Byzantine pattern or style so I guess that’s where it comes from.  Then along came Emperor Constantine nearly a thousand years later and was looking for a new Rome since the old one was not doing so well.  In 313 he issued an edict of tolerance for all religions so the Christians stopped being persecuted. Then he set his sights on Byzantium or New Rome but somehow it just got called Constantinople. I’m not certain of the date St Sophia was built but it must be around 500 AD as it was built by Emperor Justinian to replace Constantine’s original basilica burnt down in the Nike Rebellion.  Not sure what that was about either, maybe they ran out of Nike shoes one year.  The basic design is a Greek Cross inside a square and capped with a massive central dome 105ft in width and supported with columns and arches. It has marbled floor & walls and it absolutely massive and very beautiful. It was converted to a mosque when the Ottoman Turks took over sometime around 1453.  It is now a museum and one of the most amazing ones I’ve seen.  Huge chandeliers hang from enormous heights but hover just above your head and if you make the climb up the series of ramps, like a car park that you never seem to get to the top of, you can look down from the mezzanine and take in the aspect from above and wonder just how the hell they did it and so long ago.

Maureen hoping all her dreams will come true

The next spot was just down the road in the Basilica Cistern.  It use to be the reservoir for the Byzantine Great Palace by the same Emperor who built St Sophia around 500 AD and can hold 100,000 tones of water.  They also filmed a James Bond film down here ‘From Russia with Love”. The place was amazing and you would never know it was there.  You descend 55 stones steps underneath the city & into a dim dungeon like place.  There is spot lights every so often lighting up the columns of which there are 336 of, all with different designs & 9 meters in height supporting a cathedral style ceiling with beautiful arches.  It’s like an underground labyrinth like where the phantom took what’s her name.  There is still water there with large fish swimming around.  You can wander around it on a series of walking platforms.

A couple of likely lads

We headed off for lunch after that thinking we may need to fortify ourselves for the bazaar.  We found a lovely little local café, with seats the size quite suitable for kindergarten children but were surprisingly comfy once you managed to get down there.  Getting up was quite another matter and had a very pleasant Turkish lunch.

Then we headed to the Grand Bazaar and Grand it was. It has been around since the mid 15th century and is another amazing structure with the arched ceilings and over 4,000 stores up and down 60 streets selling anything from leather to spices to tea sets to any manner of souvenirs and of course, carpets.

Roger caught me out big time.  I thought they had gone a different way so was looking in awe at myriad of shops when I heard a voice behind me say excuse me lady, excuse me lady I want to give you money.  I thought this was a new take on touting but ignored it as I’m so practiced at now but the voice was insistent, excuse me lady, excuse me lady and I heard the Velcro of a wallet opening.  I was starting to get nervous now and just said no thank you and kept going.  But still the voice followed me, I could see someone out of the corner of my eye but wouldn’t look.  He came so close and was leaning over me so I almost struck out & said NO when I heard raucous laughter.  I finally looked at this annoying person and it was Roger trying to give me back 10 lire he owed me for lunch but he was doubled over clutching his stomach.  Well then I did whack him with my hat I was so flustered.  The Turks are not that bad.

We spend the next few hours happily cruising around the shops, bartering for bits & pieces until it was time to reboard the boat.  There is so much to see there, a few hours just doesn’t cut the mustard but it is a definite must to return.  Two stupid women didn’t come back until nearly an hour late and almost missed the boat.  Wish they had as they were so blasé about it and couldn’t understand why everyone was annoyed.  The ship was delayed half and hour from leaving which is big bucks in nautical terms.

We watched Istanbul slip away under a setting sun, the silhouette of the mosques with their graceful minarets standing out on the skyline and the beautiful harbour gradually disappearing under the fading skies. A more romantic and exotic city you will never find.

The next morning (today, which is apparently Thursday) was up early again for the dawn service in ANZAC Cove.  The bugle played, the choir sung, the priest held a service and the Captain said a few words before chucking a wreath overboard into the sea below.  We cruised up and down the bay for the morning then set off for Athens which we should reach by 6am for yet another early start.  Only half day tho as going again by 2pm (stupid women excluded) and ready for some fun for the toga party that night.  Yep really looking forward to seeing this crowd in their togas!