I woke up at 5 am this morning so excited to get up and see what wonders Istanbul has in store for me I couldn't go back to sleep. This place is totally amazing!!
Yesterday was a miserable day weather wise, which made indoor attractions much more appealing than wandering around in the streets as we did the day before.
After breakfast we walked up the hill from our lovely little hotel in the Sultanahmet district which is where the most well known of Istanbul's many treasures are perched on a hilltop overlooking the water. This area was the site of the original Byzantium founded in the 7th century BC and is home to some of Istanbul's most important monuments.
First stop was the Basilica Cistern which was built for collecting and storing water in 532 AD. The cistern is huge and its vaulted brick roof is supported by a forest of columns topped by Corinthian capitals. It is softly lit and there is eerie but lovely music filling the air. It is amazing that this feat of engineering is still standing after 1500 years! I imagine it would be especially great to visit in the summer as a refuge from the heat.
We next visited the Hagia Sophia which is the most awe-inspiring of the the city's Byzantine remains. It was built as a Christian church in 537 and the finest materials were used in its construction including colorful marble, and precious metals. The massive domed interior was covered with intricate mosaics made of golden tiles which were lit by countless flickering candelabras. It was the greatest church in Christendom for over a 1,000 years and was the coronation spot for Roman emperors until the day Constantinople fell to the Turks and it was immediately converted into an imperial mosque in 1453. It continued to be used as a mosque during the time of the Ottoman empire until it was converted into a museum in 1935 by Ataturk, the president of the Turkish Republic who led the War for Independence in the early 1920s.
The interior space felt like a freezer as we wandered around looking at the restored mosaics and peering up at the soaring dome. Really a marvel!
After an over priced cup of tea in a tourist cafe to warm up we unsheathed our umbrellas and walked along the tram tracks under a cold, steady drizzle all the way over the Galata bridge to the waterfront location of the Istanbul modern museum. The Galata bridge is the main artery that connects Ottoman era Istanbul with the more modern neighborhood of Beyoglu on the other side. The bridge is an attraction itself. Along the shore are the floating boat restaurants we ate at yesterday but on the lower level of the bridge are also a variety of restaurants and shops. The upper level is where cars cross and the tram runs in the center. Along the railing are dozens of fishermen casting their lines over the edge. Above it all are raucous flocks of seagulls and the sounds of the horns from the ferries which run up and down the waterway.
When we arrived at our destination we went into a special exhibition next to the Istanbul Modern called "Van Gogh Alive" which is a multi-media presentation featuring the artist's work projected in a dark room on huge panels and towers. The works have been organized by the different periods of his life and very evocative classical music plays which matches the colors and themes of the paintings. It was unbelievably cool, especially since we had no idea it was even happening. I love the serendipitous nature of travel.
We had to drag ourselves away from the visual feast (and the warm heaters) to move on the the Istanbul Modern museum next door. This is a world class museum of modern art featuring primarily Turkish artists. Upstairs is a collection of Turkish paintings from the 19th century until today many of which I loved. Downstairs was a big photography exhibit, some wonderful sculptures and a range of wild, arty videos. The setting is right along the Marmara sea and the views out the window are spectacular. (It reminds me of the Museum of Modern art in Boston). There is a very happening art scene in Istanbul and this museum is the crown jewel.
After consuming our fill of art we walked up hill into the very European looking neighbor hoods which line the streets leading to Taksim square. By this point it was really raining hard and I didn't dare take out my camera to photograph the amazing art deco buildings lining the pedestrian street mall which leads up to the square. We vowed to return on a sunny day and made our way back to "old Istanbul" via the metro which I am proud to say we figured out despite the Turkish only signage.
While riding back on the tram I decided that a cold, rainy evening would be the perfect time to warm up in a hamam, or traditional Turkish bath so we exited the metro at the Cemberlitas station where the domes of the Hamam beckoned. This hamam, near the Grand Bazaar was built in 1584 and has two separate areas for men and women to bathe. Paul thought it would be too "touristy" so he left me to go in alone while he sought out a more authentic hamam back near our hotel.
I didn't care if there were other tourists enjoying the baths, I wanted something beautiful and clean and that is what I got. When you enter the hamam wrapped in a Turkish towel you are directed to lay on a giant, circular marble slab directly under the dome.The slab is heated to a pleasant degree and I could feel myself relaxing and thawing out after being freezing for a good part of the day. I paid for a "traditional" treatment which involves a vigorous loofah scrub and a soapy bubble massage administered by a sturdy Turkish woman while you lie on the edge of the slab. After she washed off the bubbles I was free to use the "jacuzzi" tub (really just a big tub of warm water with a stream of water pouring in to it) and to rest on the slab as long as I liked. At the conclusion of the bath I wrapped myself in a fluffy towel that smelled like fresh baked butter cookies (I swear to God) and I lounged around sipping tea with other towel-wrapped ladies until it was time to get dressed and leave.
In the evening we went out to eat and climbed in bed to read the guidebooks and prepare for today's adventure.