Tuesday morning began with Suzanne having her breakfast
and this
being mine
before we began our walk up the main street of Sultanahmet where we were staying
and stopped at a locale with particularly good views of the Blue Mosque
and captured the person who wrote the Turkish National Anthem
before pausing at the travel agency that had made our arrangements
and then McDonald's
and Starbucks
before going to a cemetery
where Sultan Muhmad was buried
in a room of tombs
and domes
and a clock on the wall
as we admired the tombs
before heading out to the street
and the Chemberlitas which is now 6 drums but once held a statue of Constantine
and the Nuruosmaniye Mosque
where I remembered that I needed a shoe shine because of a blue stain my shoe had picked up in Greece and so there was scraping
and shining
and more scraping
before this man was content
and so I gave him 2 Turkish Lira and $1 and took his picture
before we headed to the Grand Bazaar where the hallways were long
and we made our way to the Sandal Bedesteni
while noting the size of the bazaar
and the ceiling
as we marched on
past numerous shops that looked like this
and some which sold curious boots
before diverging outside to an alley where a group of men on cell phones were trading currencies at a very fast pace (some real money changing hands apparently)
and then back inside the bazaar past a gold jewelery store
and down a corridor
until we reached a metal working shop recommended by Rick Steves
and watched the men at work
before the owner's son took us to a neighboring shop where we could buy a baby rattle
and then we made our way out of the han (a han is a village of like minded shops)
past a store that sold outfits for circumcisions
and then down some hallways
until we found ourselves in the carpet han and particularly in a shop where numerous rugs were brought out to display to us
and then after I recorded the price of a carpet
tea and Turkish coffee were served
before the rug show continued
|
with a break to note the guide book
and then even more rugs
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before we made our way past another jeweler
and through corridors
to look at the towels and cloths
sold by Sulleiman whose family has owned this site for 5 generations (back to the Ottomans).
I then recorded some thread spinning machines
and a fountain for not drinking
and the spinners
before we passed by the mosque in the bazaar
with this sign (there must be something about not sitting on steps of a mosque)
and passed the restaurant where we should have eaten
before leaving the bazaar (though hardly the crowds)
and making our way past this bust
to the WC
at this mosque
where prayers were departing
as the streets beckoned
and things were being cleaned
before we departed the mosque
and walked away towards this group of restaurants
where Suzanne settled
and I had Ayran
we both had water
and then our meal
ending with the traditional tea
which Suzanne drank but I was left amused
perhaps because my vegetarian meal came
and so as Suzanne checked the Blackberry
we closed up the table
and headed towards a mosque
and past the person selling corn on the cob
as we made our way to the New Mosque
which we admired
especially domes
lighting
and broad scenes
before settling in on the tilework
and after a clock interruption
focused on close ups of the towel work
before departing the mosque
and heading towards this sculpture
on the square by Eminounu
and so I posed with the sculpture
and we caught a glimpse of the Egyptian market which was outside the spice market
but went to the Rustempasa Mosque
and followed the signs in
and the visitor's attention
before entering and after a dome photo
took many pictures of the (most remarkable) tile work
|
and in our quietude
there were a few more mosque photos beginning with that which is in every mosque
and moving on to this particular architecture
and then departing
and noting folks on the square below
before heading back towards the spice market
where there were many store fronts
and as Suzanne observed
we charted a path down
past flowers
into displays of more spices than we imagined possible
|
coming finally upon saffron (but not the good Indian saffron)
and a broad view
including the neon sign
before we found our way up hill through crowds
and on steep streets
to this excellent pastry
while Suzanne was shopping (just one more store)
and then we were home and after a break at dinner where Suzanne
and I
had our drinks -- Raki for me
and kir for her
and then our olives
and bread
and a salad
and vegetables to share.
|
and this
being mine
before we began our walk up the main street of Sultanahmet where we were staying
and stopped at a locale with particularly good views of the Blue Mosque
and captured the person who wrote the Turkish National Anthem
before pausing at the travel agency that had made our arrangements
and then McDonald's
and Starbucks
before going to a cemetery
where Sultan Muhmad was buried
in a room of tombs
and domes
and a clock on the wall
as we admired the tombs
before heading out to the street
and the Chemberlitas which is now 6 drums but once held a statue of Constantine
and the Nuruosmaniye Mosque
where I remembered that I needed a shoe shine because of a blue stain my shoe had picked up in Greece and so there was scraping
and shining
and more scraping
before this man was content
and so I gave him 2 Turkish Lira and $1 and took his picture
before we headed to the Grand Bazaar where the hallways were long
and we made our way to the Sandal Bedesteni
while noting the size of the bazaar
and the ceiling
as we marched on
past numerous shops that looked like this
and some which sold curious boots
before diverging outside to an alley where a group of men on cell phones were trading currencies at a very fast pace (some real money changing hands apparently)
and then back inside the bazaar past a gold jewelery store
and down a corridor
until we reached a metal working shop recommended by Rick Steves
and watched the men at work
before the owner's son took us to a neighboring shop where we could buy a baby rattle
and then we made our way out of the han (a han is a village of like minded shops)
past a store that sold outfits for circumcisions
and then down some hallways
until we found ourselves in the carpet han and particularly in a shop where numerous rugs were brought out to display to us
