Istanbul Recap!

Written by Jadon

Over a month ago (April 1^st-5^th), Brittany and I had the opportunity to travel to Istanbul, Turkey during our school’s Easter holiday. If you have followed our story—or just our blog—from the beginning, you will remember that Turkey was our original destination of choice. So this was an interesting trip, not only for the wonderful tourist sites, but also as a reminder of the culture we had been heading toward. As it turns out, and always does, God knows what he is doing. As much as we enjoyed our vacation, which was a lot, we are both glad that we live and teach in the Czech Republic. And without his reshaping of our “perfectly constructed” plan last spring, we would not be here in Prague today.

Flight path from Prague to Istanbul

 You might remember from geography class, but Turkey is one of the few countries in the world to be part two different continents. Although most of the country is considered to be Asia, the city of Istanbul bridges the Bosphorus (a waterway connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, which divides Asia and Europe). In short, part of Istanbul is in Asia, and part is in Europe. While most of our time was spent on the European side, thanks to a bus tour that crossed the Bosphorus Bridge, I have now been to Asia!! Though our bus nearly immediately drove back across the bridge and back into Europe, and we didn’t get out, so hopefully one day my feet will get go to Asia, not just my eyes… But it was fun nonetheless. Of course, Brittany spent a summer in China, so for her it was a 7 minute return to Asia.

On the highway, entering into Asia

Istanbul is a bustling city packed with history and things to see, and there are so many things to tell you about. From the massive Hagia Sophia and it’s intricate mosaics, to the labyrinthine Grand Bazaar. From Galata Tower high on the hill across the Golden Horn, to the tulips of the Topkapi Palace Gardens. And of course the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome near its gates. There are so many sites, and they are all so old and so interesting.  But let me just expound on just a few.

First: Apple Tea. Not only is Turkey known for Turkish delight and baklava, it is also known for its tea. Of course there are a ton of varieties—as a walk through the Egyptian Spice Market will quickly show you, but our favorite was the Apple Tea. It was delicious, and we tried to buy some to bring home, but as good as it is, it isn’t the same.

Delicious Turkish Apple Tea!

 Second: Fish Sandwiches. On a tip from a friend, we learned that in Istanbul you can buy fresh fish sandwiches from men on boats near the Golden Horn. Basically, the boat is the kitchen area, and customers walk up to the docked boat, order and pay, and then the food is passed from the boat, across the water, to the customer on the shore. We managed to find one such vendor, and despite the rain and the wind making the boat (kitchen) toss and turn like mad; we ordered our sandwich and managed to find a seat under an umbrella and a heat lamp on the very steady concrete shore! It was delicious. So, if you are ever in Istanbul...

In the back is the "kitchen" on the boat. The man handing Brittany the sandwich is on shore with us, so they pass it out to him once it's made.

Third: The Basilica Cistern. Probably our favorite site of all the great things we saw, the Basilica Cistern is a huge underground cistern that was built in A.D. 532. During the Middle Ages it was completely closed off and forgotten. As the story goes, an archeologist heard rumors that certain residents of the city were able to lower buckets into holes in their basement floors to draw fresh water. Some even claimed to have caught fish from these holes. Of course the archeologist couldn’t let this opportunity pass him by, and eventually discovered the lost cistern. Today the Basilica Cistern is mainly a tourist attraction, and tourists can descend the fifty some steps into the dimly lit, man-made cavern. It is about 210 ft. wide, 420 ft. long, and 27 ft. high, and is supported by 336 marble columns. If I understood correctly, when it was built, water could fill the cistern all the way to the top and it wouldn’t leak! (You’ll have to do the math to figure out how much water that would be.) Today, though, there are only a few lonely fish swimming in about 12 inches of water that rests beneath the walkways. Of course, since it’s a tourist site, there is an underground café, where we, of course, got some Apple Tea!

Brittany in the Basilica Cistern

Istanbul is filled with wonderful sites, stories, and food, and we have many other stories we could tell, but you will just have to ask us this summer. Or take a trip to Istanbul yourself!

Inside the Blue Mosque - We really loved our trip to Istanbul!