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DAY 3
No sleep whatsoever for me and minimal for Aleisha, but there's no time to waste we move on......
8am and we're on the bus on our way to the Grand Bazaar - located not far from Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque we visited yesterday. The Grand Bazaar is a major tourist attraction that all the tour companies show to their clients. It consists of a mall with alleyways branching off in different directions, housing over 4,000 tiny shops selling everything from jewellery to Turkish delight to lamps, to costumes to clothing and pretty much everything inbetween. None of the items here are genuine and one example is the Lacoste label which instead of displaying a crocodile, it shows a drunk crocodile instead (with an open mouth), as Izzet, our guide explained. Bartering here is the general rule of thumb and we were lucky enough to be one of the first tourists there this morning. We found the shopkeepers very friendly, able to pick us as Aussies by offering a simple "Hello". "I can help you spend your money" and "You will be happier if you buy a necklace from here" were a few of the comments we received. We were told by Izzet none of the locals actually buy their produce from there, so we just looked around and didn't purchase anything.
Across the road I purchased an "evil eye" key ring - a Turkish traditional item intended to bring luck and ward off evil spirits. I was fortunate to find one with a butterfly so I snapped it up for $2TL. Practically every shop in Turkey sells these in some form in either ceramic or plastic.
We left the Bazaar and started heading towards the ferry. Once onboard we ate our lunch, a pre-purchased Simit (pretzel), and enjoyed drinks while admiring the view from the ferry. Aleisha, desperate to use the toilet facilities, decided to hold on after discovering the only toilet was a traditional hole in the floor that "smelled like arse". Only a short ride of 40mins and we had crossed the Bosporus into Asia. A few of our Asian friends completely missed the bus (so to speak!) as it was leaving the ferry, and thought the best option was to toddle in front of a semi-trailer instead of waiting safely at the side to be picked up!! Once across, we followed the shores of the Sea of Marmara to the Gulf of Gemlik. We then headed inland towards the Uludag (Mount Olympus of Mysia), a 2350m high skiing mountain. I thoroughly enjoyed the countryside drive with views of olive trees, tobacco fields and marble quarries. After roughly 3.5 hrs we arrived in Bursa, the first Capital of the Ottoman Empire. Our first visit was to the Green Mosque. Once again we had to adorn head scarves and remove our shoes. Set on manicured grounds this mosque was completed in 1420 and is famous for its green tiles. We were entertained with an auditory display from a man who does the scripture readings and is 2nd in charge of the mosque.
The nearby Green Mausoleum is octagonal in shape and Celebi Mehmet's sarcophagus, is placed at the center of the mausoleum and is framed by his 3 sons as well as his daughters. Each tomb is decorated with ornate tiles.
A short distance away we visited the Great Mosque with twenty domes. Supposedly the twenty domes were built instead of the twenty separate mosques which Sultan Bayezid I had promised for winning the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396. There is also a fountain inside the mosque where worshipers can perform ritual ablutions before prayer; the dome over the fountain is capped by a skylight which creates a soft light below, playing an important role in the illumination of the large building. The subdivisions of space formed by multiple domes and pillars create a sense of privacy and even intimacy.
We then ventured through the Covered Bazaar which was basically all haberdashery, and then onto the Silk Bazaar. Ranging from cotton, to silk blend, to 100% silk - scarves and ties were sold by various vendors. Aleisha bought a beautiful blue silk scarf and I bought a leopard print one :).
Finally arriving at Kervansaray Termal, our home for the night. Our room has views out over the outdoor pool (which sadly we don't have time to use) and very modern facilities. Before dinner we walked to the local shops to taste the wares. Aleisha sampled a Jaffa macaroon (which certainly passed Aleisha's test of approval) and I had a chocolate ice cream which was delicious. Dinner was provided via a large buffet. I tried Anatolian Soup, which is a spicy lentil soup - and loved it! Aleisha had to pace herself as buffets are her thing apparently and holding back can be a problem!! Dessert was well catered for with at least a dozen different selections. Off to bed for another early rise tomorrow for our journey to Ankara.
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