Istanbul

On Tuesday, we didn’t have any performances that Canada was in, so we decided to go into town and see some things that we won’t get to as part of the group tours on Friday and Saturday. We got up for breakfast, and left about 10:00. Cino and Ozge (our group reps) came with us, which made it easier right of the bat where we had to get on the LRT, and transfer to another LRT to get down to Sultanehmet in the old area of Istanbul. Our first stop was the Basilica Water Cistern which was built from 527-565AD and was essentially a 100ML water reservoir for the city. The lighting and music inside made it feel quite epic. There were even fish swimming in the shallows.

From there we tried to go to Topikapi Palace, but didn’t realize that it is closed on Tuesdays. So instead we went to the Covered Bazaar and gave ourselves some more time. To me it seemed more like a mall where you can barter, but the quality and prices didn’t seem all the best. So the guys decided to get out onto the streets and see some of the real shops. We wandered for a long while and Kim got a couple of things, before we stopped for a donair wrap. Then Steph Andrews texted us to meet up so we had to find our way back to the Covered Bazaar, which took a bit of doing. We finally found her and went for tea.

We were more interested in seeing how things were made rather than buying things, so we went outside the jewelry section and found a gold worker, he showed us how they polish, detail, and inscribe the final product, in a little room up off the second level of a courtyard just outside the bazaar. From there we went across the street and saw where they actually heat and melt down the gold and silver bars; and then when they were rolled into thinner and thinner wire for earrings and such. We all got to hold a 6kg bar of silver in the room with the 1000C oven.

From there Steph took us guys to the Spice Bazaar, which was down by the waterfront (4 LRT stops from the Covered Bazaar). We were starting to get tight on time, so only spent about 30 minutes there, but it was interesting to see. It is also right outside the New Mosque which is new, and built, in 1594. Then we went back to the Grand Bazaar to meet up with the girls and most of us went to a Turkish Bath. It was quite the experience, and one I am definitely glad I did. Guys and girls are separated, and you head off to little changerooms where you change into only wearing the towel and flip flops. You go into the main room where it’s hot and humid like a steam room, and they have a big rock, about 10m across. You lay down on it with a little metal tin under your head, and just relax and wait your turn. From there you a guy comes and lets you know you’re next, and you lay on the edge of the rock. First off the guy crossed my arms and pushed down, managing to get about 14 vertebrae to pop. Getting some more joints to pop, it was getting a full scrub down and wash, which felt quite nice. After getting doused in water to rinse then it was off to another room which wasn’t so hot, where it was washing the head and arms, then going for a 30 minute oil massage. All in all quite the experience.

Following the bath, we took the LRT and a funicular across to Taksim (where we had the parade on Saturday) to see it with more of its nightlife. Some of us tried to go to Galata Tower, but we got there 15 minutes after closing. After wandering up a street and grabbing a quick donair and a beer, we were back to the heart of Taksim. Things were getting quite busy out, and this is on a Tuesday when it was quiet out, not a Friday or Saturday, where it is so packed you can hardly move.

We also stopped into McDonald’s (something I like to do travelling to try something new) and I got a McTurco. It was essentially two hamburger patties, BBQ sauce, and their burger veggies in a pita wrap.

Then from the top of Taksim, we took the subway further away from downtown where we caught the MetroBus and took it back to the hotel.