Our Itinerary (March 12-18, 2011)
Saturday, March 12
Pre-planned:
-Arrival in Istanbul
-Orientation/walk around the city center/Sultanahmet neighborhood
-Dinner at the Hotel Arcadia
The Hotel Arcadia was within short walking distance to the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque and only steps away from the tram line. I'm very finicky so I wasn't thrilled with the cleanliness of our room but the location made up for that. The city at night was magical. These are pictures from the hotel rooftop:
Some pictures of the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia during the lighter hours:
Sunday, March 13
Pre-planned:
-Tour of the Hagia Sophia
-Tour of the Blue Mosque
-Tour of the Hippodrome
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What actually happened:
We accompanied the big group to the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. We spent the most time in the Hagia Sophia and got an extensive overview of the history and evolution of the structure. For me, personally, I was excited to be there because I remembered learning about Justinian in a Roman history class and of course, the Hagia Sophia was built during his reign. It was amazingly beautiful on the inside. I always find structures that have been in transition, fascinating. It started out as a Catholic Church then it became a mosque and now, it's a museum. The Blue Mosque is much newer so its interior decor is fully intact. Unfortunately, we weren't able to stay more than fifteen minutes because the call to prayer sounded. Still, I was happy to leave and return the still functioning mosque to its worshippers.
After lunch we hopped on the tram, which was very intuitive and easy to use and got off near Istiklal Caddesi, a famous pedestrian street. We walked the entire length, taking in the sights and stopping to shop every so often. We ended our evening on the Galata Bridge, taking in a lovely sunset and a mediocre dinner.
Monday, March 14
Pre-planned:
-Topkapi Palace
-Chora Church
-Cruise on the Bosphorus
-Egyptian/Spice Bazaar
We spent the first half of the day at the Topkapi Palace. Unlike the traditionally opulent palaces of Europe, this palace had an understated beauty. I found the information about the harem to be the most interesting. It's amazing to think that there could be 400 girls in there at one time, some who would be virgins for their entire lives and others who would become lesbian companions. In some ways, it must have been a lonely existence. I guess in other ways, it must have been like being in a sorority house.
We ended the day in the Egyptian/Spice Bazaar. It's a much more manageable, smaller bazaar in comparison to the Grand Bazaar.
*My favorite shops were just a couple of blocks from the hotel at Arasta Bazaar. There was little to no haggling and it was very low-key, not a lot of foot traffic and it gave off an upscale, professional air. Do your shopping here for quality goods!
Tuesday, March 15
Pre-planned:
-Flight to Izmir (1 hour)
-Tour of Ephesus
-Tour of Mary's House
-Drive to Kusadasi, stay the night, eat dinner
When we arrived in Izmir we got right on the chartered bus and headed to Ephesus. We spent a good two to three hours at Ephesus, which I thought was quite a treat. We beat some of the cruise crowd and it wasn't nearly as packed as I'm sure it gets in the high season. I think it's hard to compare Pompeii and Ephesus. They're both very well-intact but also different. It's been a few years since I last visited Pompeii but for me, Ephesus might have had a slight edge. The weather was also amazing so our pictures turned out really well. We ate lunch near Mary's House (Mary as in, the mother of God). It was a very modest house and since I'm not Christian or religious, it wasn't a must-see for me. That being said, I was reverent and I could appreciate the signficance of the site. I did wash my hands in holy water, which was a momentary spiritual experience.
We spent the afternoon relaxing at the Charisma Hotel in Kusadasi. The Charisma Hotel is a four or five star hotel right on the Aegean Sea. It was quite elegant and met my cleanliness standards. The dinners, which were included every night, were awesome! There was traditional Turkish cuisine and other European fare. And it was all you can eat!
Wednesday, March 16
Pre-planned:
-Stop at Miletus
-Tour of Didyma and the Temple of Apollo
-Lunch at Sirince
-Tour of St. Jean's Basilica
-Tour of a rug-making cooperative
This was a busy day with several short stops. Miletus was a stand-alone ruin of a Roman theater. We all got out and took some pictures and admired the Anatolian shepherds that were lazing about. The Temple of Apollo at Didyma was a beautiful and peaceful ruin in a small village. We were able to get a very nice group photo of all 40+ of us on the temple steps. Our next stop was Sirince, which was a Greek village at one time. I think there's still a Greek community there. We stopped at a local family-run restaurant. They made traditional Turkish "pancakes" with three different fillings: minced meat, vegetables, and feta (I think).
Later we took a very quick tour of St. Jean's Basilica. Looking back I can honestly say I have no recollection of its significance. If someone was short on time I'd probably tell them to skip it. Though, there is a nice view of a Crusades-old (that's what the guide said) castle in the distance. It made for some pretty pictures. At the end of the day we had a really fun demonstration of traditional rug-making. Of course, Turkish rugs are world-famous. It was absolutely fascinating to watch the ladies at work. Their hands moved so fast. Nothing in that cooperative was machine-made.
We ended the evening at the hotel with another delicious dinner.
Thursday, March 17
Pre-planned:
-Tour of Pergamum
The tour of Pergamum was a day-long affair. The round-trip drive was four hours from our hotel in Kusadasi. Pergamum is an extensive and amazing ruin. It's an absolute must-see. I will warn you, however, that the easiest way to get to the ruin is by taking a funicular/ski-lift. I was utterly petrified on the ride up and down. Just a head's up in case you're afraid of heights.
We spent the evening at the hotel, again. Since it was our last night we took advantage of the spa. I got a foot reflexology treatment and Evan got a medicinal back massage. I'm really connected with my feet so I found my massage quite enjoyable.
Friday, March 18
Pre-planned:
-Flight back to Istanbul (1 hour)
-Grand Bazaar/FREE DAY
Upon our return to Istanbul we walked to the Grand Bazaar, one of the highlights of the trip for the shopaholics in our group. It was as overwhelming as I imagined it would be. The lines of stalls/kiosks were absolutely endless. It was a labyrinth. After grabbing a quick bite Evan and I split from the other half of our little group and did some of our own shopping. We probably got ripped off but I think if you go in expecting to get hassled then you can make peace with it. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around our neighborhood and later stopped at Yerebatan Sarnici, a sunken cistern. This is kind of cheesy but one of the reasons I wanted to go is that it was featured on The Bachelorette (Ali's season). It was a little less romantic because the place wasn't shut down for a TV show. There were quite a few tourists while we were there. Having been there in person, I'm not sure it's a must-see.
We ended our stay in Istanbul by having dinner at our favorite local spot - The Pudding Shop. This was actually our third meal there. The head waiter, Mustafa, treated us like royalty every time we dined there. And then, we treated ourselves to some special entertainment. We hiked across town to make an hour showing of the Whirling Dervishes. It was really hypnotic. I mean, I'm not the type of person to snooze during a performance but I actually found my head bobbing and my eyes closing every so often. I wasn't bored either! I was literally entranced. I can't imagine going to Turkey and not seeing one of the many performances offered.
To sum it up, it was a wonderful experience. The food was fabulous - nobody got sick that I know of. The Turkish people were incredibly friendly and helpful. At one point when we were buying tram tickets a stranger went out of their way to make sure we didn't use an out-of-order machine (there was no sign). I really hope to return one day. Before the trip, I thought that Turkey was a great destination to visit with a group because of a potential language barrier. Now having been there, I'm fully confident that we could get around on our own.
ETA: Our local guide, Tibet was AWESOME! By the end of the trip she felt more like a friend than a guide. She showed such enthusiasm for the history of her country that the group couldn't help but be attentive. I would absolutely consult her if we found ourselves in Turkey again. Our Mason professor was also quite exceptional. His scholarly knowledge really complemented Tibet's local expertise.
Mason really hit the sweet spot with this trip. The location was phenomenal and the organization of the trip from the Mason leaders to our local connections was executed with thoughtfulness and precision. They really hit the mark on this group adventure whereas, the management of the Morocco trip left a lot to be desired and more went wrong than right on the Greece trip.
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