The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

After seeing the Hippodrome, The Blue Mosque, The Hagia Sophie and then the Topkapi Palace, we were taken to the market in Istanbul.
On the way to the market, our Turkish Tour guide once again told us how important the carpet making industry is to their country and that he had never heard of a tour group coming to Istanbul without going to a carpet shop. He did say that he would be available to take any interested parties to a shop he knew, where we could get carpets at a “good” price.


At the market, we were given a few hours to wander around on our own and were told to meet back at a certain point to catch our bus.

Well, this market was enormous and there was so much to see!!! And of course ..... buy!!

This market covers an area of 30 hectares and there are about 4000 shops inside it. There are 18 entrances to this market area. It really is a small city on it's own. We went in through the main one and decided not to wander to far from the main “street” as such.


The entrance to the Bazaar


Inside the Bazaar

I showed some interest in a leather purse and of course was shown so many and knew that I would have to buy one before leaving the shop. I then told the guy that I was really interested in jewellery.

Well, he then led me “literally by the hand” to his “uncle” who had a jeweler shop a few meters away from his shop.



I told this gentleman that I would be interested in some diamond earrings. Of course, he showed me the most beautiful earrings. At this point, I summoned hubby, who was outside the shop smoking!!!Hubby's eyes were huge when I showed him the earrings. These were priced at 1700 Euros. I then had to quickly back out of this deal, as hubby had calmly stated that it was either the earrings or our holiday in July next year!!
Then the bartering started, and I couldn’t believe that the price had been knocked down to 1 100 Euros.
These guys just will not take no for an answer.

I then realized that I had a bit of a lever. I told my jeweler that we had in fact just purchased a very expensive carpet. He then did not force the issue too much at all thinking that we had just spent a small fortune in another one of his “relatives” shops.
Little did he know that I was referring to the carpet we had purchased in Tunisia in July.
Well, it was only a “little white lie” wasn’t it?

After a bite to eat – a Doner -in real Turkish surroundings, we walked back through the market. I then did purchase a new leather purse and two wonderful Pashmina Shawls.


More shops in the Bazaar



So colourful and exotic

Hubby had found a suitcase at one of the shops and was going to do a bit of bartering. He managed to get it for 80 Euros, so we found ourselves making our way back to the bus, dragging a suitcase behind us. We all made the most of it of course and anything we had been carrying was quickly stored inside of it.

The looks on the faces of all our fellow tour group was so funny. They were so curious as to what was inside – we had to convince them that we had in fact not bought that much.

We were then taken back to our ship, all the while, our tour guide lamenting the fact, that none of us had seen a Carpet shop.

Trees in Topkapi Palace

Many of the trees in the Topkapi Palace are remarkable since most of them fell victim to a fungus that completely hollowed the trunk out over the centuries, even though the trees still survive until today and are standing. In other cases, two trees of a different kind have grown and fused together, such as a fig tree that grew in the hollow of a tree and effectively fused together. This phenomenon can be seen in the Second Court.

Istanbul - Part 2

After visitng the Blue Mosque we walked over to the Hagia Sophia. I have taken the following from Wikipedia, as I am unable to explain it in my own words.



Hagia Sophia. (Greek: ???α S?f?a; "Holy Wisdom", Turkish: Ayasofya) is a former patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a museum, in Istanbul, Turkey. Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture. It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until the completion of the Medieval Seville Cathedral in 1520.
The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, and was in fact the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site (the previous two had both been destroyed by riots). It was designed by two architects, Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. The Church contained a large collection of holy relics and featured, among other things, a 50-foot (15 m) silver iconostasis. It was the patriarchal church of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religious focus point of the Orthodox Byzantine Empire for nearly 1000 years.

In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building to be converted into a mosque. The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over. The Islamic features - such as the mihrab, the minbar, and the four minarets outside - were added over the course of its history under the Ottomans. It remained as a mosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the secular Republic of Turkey.

For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia served as a model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul), the Sehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, and the Rüstem Pasha Mosque.

Although it is sometimes referred to as Saint Sophia (greek for wisdom), the Greek name in full is Church of the Holy Wisdom of God ?a?? t?? ???a? t?? Te?? S?f?a? - and it was dedicated to the Holy Wisdom of God rather than a specific saint named Sophia.

Looking at this building in real life was incredible and seeing that the restoration is still continuing. They are still discovering mosaics that have been plastered over for hundreds of years, and it is incredible that these mosaics have come to life again due to the restoration process. It is hard to believe that it has survived 500 years of being hidden away due to the plaster. However, they have not been able to recover all the originals due to some permanent damage being done. If you look in the first picture, you will notice the white patches on the ceiling



The contrasts one sees between Christian and Muslim artefacts/symbols are amazing. In a mosque you will not find a picture. You will only find writings, whereas in a Christian church, you will find pictures depicting people.






We then walked to the Topkapi Palace.
I have again taken the following from Wikipedia.

The Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi in Turkish[1]) was the official and primary Istanbul residence of the Ottoman Sultans from 1465 to 1853. The palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments and is a major tourist attraction today. The name directly translates as "Cannongate Palace," the palace being named after a nearby gate. Initial construction started in 1459, ordered by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Byzantine Constantinople. The palace is a complex made up of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings. At the height of its existence as a royal residence the palace was home to as many as 4,000 people.

After the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1921, Topkapi Palace was transformed by government decree on April 3, 1924 into a museum of the imperial era. The Topkapi Palace Museum is under the administration of the Ministy Of Culture and Tourism. The palace complex has hundreds of rooms and chambers, but only the most important are accessible to the public today. The complex is guarded by officials of the ministry as well as armed soldiers of the Turkish military.

The palace is full of examples of Ottoman architecture and also contains large collections of porcelain, robes, weapons, shields, armor, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and murals, as well as a display of Ottoman treasure and jewelry.

We were given free time to explore this wonderful palace. To walk through the many courtyards and chambers, one could only imagine what it was like to live there.
To imagine the concubines in the Harem being taught how to present themselves to nobility. This was a highly sought after position. If one did not wed royalty by the age of 35, one could then leave.

The eunuch's courtyard, had one wondering what these people must have gone through.

The circumcision room, highly ornate with mosaic walls must have brought little relief to the young men.

Walking through the armoury and seeing the weapons used in those days gave one more insight into the days of the crusades. Just the body armour must have weighed a ton and these men still had to fight.

To see the beautiful porcelain from various dynasties, eg. Chinese, Japanese, Ottoman, Roman and Greek were amazing.

And finally, looking at the jewellery displayed behind bullet proof glass, gave us a taste of the oppulence that was once found there.

A really worthwhile tour and something I would recommend to anyone wanting to visit Europe.

Some photos of The Blue Mosque

Istanbul

Our next port of call was Istanbul. We arrived early in the morning once again and had a day tour ahead of us. Most of the people on our tour were doing this excursion, so we needed 2 buses to get us all around.
Our German tour guide had ensured that his Turkish counterparts would show us the places of interest without the viewing of carpet making. Knowing how persuasive these people can be, both hubby and I were very grateful of this fact. Gerard is a salesman’s delight – he could be sold ice, in winter!!!


Istanbul has developed as a world metropolis because of it’s geopolitical location of the city. It is the only city in the world which is established on two continents.

The city consists of three parts in general. On the European side, the Historical Peninsula to the south of the Golden Horn and the Galata District to the north, and the New City on the Asian side.

Today, Istanbul is still a political and commercial center for the Balkan and Middle Eastern Countries and the Turkic Republics of Central Asia.

It was knows as Constantinople, the city of Emperor Constantine, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. It then became knows as Istanbul after the conquest of the ottomans and became one the biggest and most crowded city of Europe. The city is spread over an area of 7.500 square km, 150km long and 50 km wide.

There are an estimated 12 to 15 million people living in Istanbul and the population increases around half a million every year.


Our bus took off from the harbour area and drove through this very busy city with so many beautiful sights to be seen all around us.

We were taken to the Hippodrome which is the heart of the Old Town. The ancient works in the middle of this square and the structures arranged in a line around the square are the most spectacular historical remains of Istanbul.

In the Byzantine Period, the place had three functions. The first being Sport activities and art events. Horse races were an attractive sports event of those times. Other than these, gladiator fights used to be held here. The second function of the Hippodrome was that it was a political arena. In the Ottoman Period the Janissary Corps riots generally started here.

The third function of the square was the decorative purpose as an open air museum by being embellished richly by the Byzantine Emperors. The spina in the middle displayed, columns, statues, sun clocks, obelisks and monuments brought here from all over the world.

The obelisk is Istanbul’s oldest monument. It is dated as 15th century BC, that is to say, this obelisk is 3.500 years old. The Pharaoh had it built for the memory of his victory.

We were then taken into the Blue Mosque which is the greatest and most splendid mosque of Istanbul. It is the only mosque with 6 minarets in Istanbul and in Turkey which makes it matchless among other Ottoman Mosques. The mosque is one of several mosques known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. It was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has become one of the greatest tourist attractions of Istanbul.

Because I had chosen to wear shorts that day, I had to cover my legs with a drape/skirt that I was given. We all had to take our shoes off and put them in packets which we carried. It really was a magnificent building, inside and out.

Izmir Turkey and Ephesus

Our time spent sailing on the seas was generally done during the night. So on our 3rd morning, we were eating breakfast while the ship cruised into the harbour of Izmir. Once we had docked, we joined our tour guide on the quayside. Izmir is the 3rd largest city of Turkey but we drove through the city and headed off for our tour to Ephesus.
This was an amazing place to visit. The history of Ephesus is unbelievable and when one walks through this ancient city, one can imagine the people who once lived there and how huge this city must have been.
I am quoting a little of it’s background off a website I found but suggest that if you want to know more on this amazing archaeological site, one should google the information.
This enclosure for archaeological remains at Ephesus elegantly reconciles historic conservation with accessibility for visitors. The site of a succession of great ancient civilizations, Ephesus, on the south-west coast of modern Turkey, embodied a peculiarly fertile synthesis of architecture and culture. In 356BC the Greeks built the Artemesium (a colossal Ionic temple dedicated to Artemis the fertility goddess) which was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. During the 2nd century BC, Ephesus was the fourth largest city in the eastern Roman Empire, famous for its Artemesium, the Library of Celsus and its medical school.
Quoted from Catherine Slessor's Housing History.
Ancient Greek city of Asia Minor, near the mouth of the Menderes River, in what is today West Turkey, South of Smyrna (now Izmir). One of the greatest of the Ionian cities, it became the leading seaport of the region. Its wealth was proverbial. The Greek city was near an old center of worship of a native nature goddess, who was equated with the Greek Artemis, and c.550 B.C. a large temple was built. To this Croesus, who captured the city, contributed.
From Lydian control Ephesus passed to the Persian Empire. The temple was burned down in the 4th cent. B.C., but rebuilding was begun before Alexander the Great took Ephesus in 334. The city continued to thrive during the wars of his successors, and after it passed (133) to the Romans it kept its hegemony and was the leading city of the province of Asia. The great temple of Artemis, or Artemis, called by the Romans the temple of Diana, was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. From c.100 B.C. to c. A.D. 100 Ephesus was the world capital of the slave trade.
The city was sacked by the Goths in A.D. 262, and the temple was destroyed. The seat of a church council in 431, Ephesus was abandoned after the harbor silted up. Excavations (1869-74) of the ruins of the temple brought to light many artifacts. Later excavations uncovered important Roman and Byzantine remains.
Quoted from The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
As we finished our tour and were walking along the harbour street (Arcadiana), they had a reality show on. We watched the Roman guards in all their glamour, wealthy Roman people in traditional dress and a sculptor busy sculpting. It made it all feel so real!!!
I have relied on google here for a lot of the above to be able to explain it but can only say that both Gerard and I thought that this was the most interesting excursion of our whole trip.
To walk through this ancient city gave us the most amazing sense of those ancient days and what a city it must have been.
Absolutely mind blowing.

Katakolon

Our next port of call was Katakolon.
Ships call at the sleepy port of Katakolon at the western edge of the Peloponnese because it's close to the archeological site of Olympia, where the ancient Olympic Games were held. Otherwise, Katakolon is pretty much a one-horse town with a big pier. Obviously it is very tourist orientated with loads of little shops selling curio type things.

Our tour today was of Olympia. Was this an eye opener for Hubby and I? To think that we were walking through one of the most important sanctuaries of ancient Greece.

There is so much history to this archeological site that I advise you to google it for more information. Hubby and I buy books at all these type of places but I cannot bore you all with this. I have found the following to be quite a good summary (titbit) of what Olympia is.

The archeological site is found at the foot of Kronos hill. The Olympic Games originated here in 776 B.C., although the Sanctuary of Olympia dates to the 10th and 9th century B.C. This is also where the Olympic flame of the modern games is lit (using sunlight and a lens). This was amazing for us to see.

All the buildings at Olympia were built either for the early games or to celebrate Zeus and the other gods. Visitors today see the remains of the temples, changing rooms, gymnasia and other buildings, as well as the outdoor stadium where the competitions were held.

Competitors in the ancient games had to be Greek, born free (not slaves) and without criminal convictions. The oldest contests were foot races, but eventually the challenges grew to include warrior games, a pantathalon, wrestling and chariot races. As with the modern games, revived in 1896, the original games took place every four years. But in the ancient games all competitors were male and competed in the nude. The winner's reward was an olive oil branch and a wreath said to be from a tree planted by Hercules.