Day 4: The weather is much cooler today, slightly chilly and cloudy. It seems great for sightseeing because walking in the Istanbul sun becomes a little much after a while. And today we have a lot of sightseeing on the agenda. But first some yummy yogurt from Pinkberry. Sated we continue on our journey :) Keep your cameras on the ready because you'll be taking a lot of pictures these next few hours. We hop on to the ferry and get to the European side and tram it to sultanahmet, grab a coffee from Starbucks and head on to the Blue Mosque, our first stop. Built in the early 16th century, the Blue Mosque also called the Sultanahmet Mosque is beautiful. Keep a watch out for the blue tiles inside that are said to have given the mosque its name. What really caught my eye were the lovely chandeliers inside the mosque, that gave the mosque this surreal beauty, bathing it in this subtle warm light.
We then head to the Hagia Sophia; the museum that was initially a church and then a mosque during the Ottoman era and much later and currently a museum in secular Turkey. It now is this unbelievable piece of architecture that is reminiscent of two wonderfully rich eras - the byzantine and the Ottoman. You walk in and you see the same lovely chandeliers and the Islamic features from the time it was a mosque. You will want to take your time exploring the Hagia Sophia, walk up to the first floor and see below the the hustle bustle of tourists, you're above the chandeliers now (the chandeliers that I'm totally besotted with) so looking down through them is interesting. You can see the old flooring and notice the pattern on it, appreciate the painted walls, the huge calligraphic symbols up are beautiful. And then coming down you take the almost prehistoric cave like ramp that leads you back to the ground floor. There's a little cafe right outside where you can get a quick bite. Don't forget to pick up some souvenirs from the little souvenir shop close to the museum exit gate.
The Hagia Sophia is also the inspiration of Dan Brown's 2013 published 'Inferno.' Here the famous Robert Langdon attempts to reveal the mysteries of the transcendent Hagia Sophia by traveling to Istanbul with Sienna Brooks, the female lead in the book. The book paints a very different picture of gorgeous Istanbul, but an interesting read none the less.
On to the Basilica Cistern, also known as the sunken palace by the locals. This is an underground cistern built in Byzantine era that provided water filtration services to the Great Palace of Constantinople and then the Topkapi Palace eons ago. There used to be a huge Basilica here that burnt down during the 4th century and so this cistern is cathedral size, the largest cistern in Istanbul. It is a fascinating structure, water everywhere amidst which you see architecture that takes you back in time. You must see the two medusa head pillars that are extraordinary. It is dark and slightly murky under there, but that actually adds to the ambiance and enhances your experience. As you enter there's a small booth to your left that allows you to play dress up with outfits from the Ottoman times and take pictures. Fun!
Getting out, we're tired but yearning for more so we cab it to the Dolmabahce Palace, only to find out that it closes at 4 pm, and it's past 5, so Dolmabahce tomorrow. Note: Timings for the Dolmabahce Palace are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, 7 days of the week.
More coming up soon!
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