July 5 Sammy's Blog on the Sultanahmet
Trip Start
Jun 20, 2008
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7
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Trip End
Jul 20, 2008
Istanbul, Turkey
Saturday, July 5, 2008
We started of our day by heading over to the Blue Mosque. This 400-year-old mosque neighbors the Aya Sofya and the Topkapi Palace. When you step into, look up at the gigantic and beautiful domes that are being supported by four massive "elephant" pillars. Make sure to wear long pants on the day you are visiting the Blue Mosque; if you don't they might not let you inside.
After the Blue Mosque, we went to the bigger, older, (and in my opinion, better) Aya Sofya. The Aya Sofya was built by Emperor Justinian in A.D 537. It was the greatest church in Christendom until the conquest in 1453 when Mehmet the Conqueror turned it into a mosque. The dome inside will make you stand in awe and just gape at its beauty
Stephen Sprout: Future Firefighter
. This dome is different from the Blue Mosque's; it wasn't built with any pillars supporting it. It's being held up by 40 "ribs," which were constructed of special hollow bricks. The mosaics are beautiful; make sure to see the other pieces of art and relics on the second floor.We stopped off at a very busy and pricey restaurant called Tahri Sultanahmet Koftecisi Selim Usta (whew!) They had EXCELENT food. The menu only had about 10 items (including soda). Make sure to try the meatballs (kofte), which is what they are famous for.
After lunch we went to the Basilica Cistern. The cistern is 65 m (195 ft) wide and 143 m (429 ft) long. You can see a wide range of fish in the water. Mosey on down to the far back of the cistern to see two giant pillars with medusa heads on the bottom. Don't skip past the cistern it is a sight to see.
And finally, we dove into the Grand Bazaar. This place was HUGE!!!!!!!!!! The merchants usually start at a high price, so you need to get into your bargaining stage before you go. We recommend buying a large ceramic bowl. Make sure to buy it for 50 lira or less. Don't listen to all the things they'll say about how special their bowls are and why they should cost more; just bargain
The Blue Mosque
. If that doesn't work, then walk away and find a different store. For all you jewelry lovers, this is the place to go. Make sure to not get lost in the Bazaar. Keep going back to the main walkway. It's like a giant maze in there.Here's a trick to watch out for. When we were walking back to the ferry a shoe shiner "accidentally" dropped his brush in front of my dad when we were walking by him. My dad, being the kind person he is, picked it up and ran over to the man and gave him his brush back (first mistake). The man was delighted that my dad gave him his brush, so he offered my dad a free shoe shining. My dad accepted (second mistake.) When he was done, he said, "Pay me paper money." My dad opened his wallet and the man snatched a bundle of fifties. My mom immediately snatched them back. We then only gave him five lira. It was about 5 minutes later when we realized that he had attempted to scam us. He purposely drops his brush in front of unsuspecting tourists and then he offers them a free shoe shining when they give the brush back to him. Even though he says it's free, he will still ask you for paper money. When you take out your wallet, he'll immediately reach inside it and grab a handful of bills. Make sure to tell them that coins still have value in Turkey and just hand them about two lira. You can also just walk away when he offers you the shoeshine or just stand there and wait for the shoe shiner to pick up his brush
Aya Sofia from Blue Mosque
.We decided to get sandwiches in Kadikoy (third mistake.) The sandwiches have 2 gallons of mayo, some meat, some potato salad, and a handful of french fries. It's a miracle we didn't get sick and die from the bacteria covering our salmonella special. We felt stupid and a bit queasy that night.
Overall, it was a great day that was full of amazing monuments. We can't wait to see the Topkapi Palace tomorrow.
By Sam Sprout.
Comments
Wow!
Thanks for the historical infomation on the places that you visit! I am impressed by your knowledge! It's too bad about the shoe shine guy trying to scam Jeff. It reminds me of the Gypsy kids in Rome. They hold a sign in front of themselves begging for money, and when they come up to talk to you, they pick you purse or bag or they work in pairs-one distracts you while the other one robs you.