Greetings to all of you! I would like to preface my
description of my travels in Turkey by letting you know this post is very long. However, I believe it has a lot to offer those who brave this text. First, you'll be able to
understand what I have experienced and live vicariously through me. And secondly, I
learned a lot on this trip so I would like to pass on some of my learnings to you!
Finally, if you would even consider going to Turkey, this
can act as an excellent detailed travel guide for you on what to do and expect
as well as revealing a lot of important historical background. Despite some
difficulties, I feel like this trip was executed well and it really changes the
way you view yourself when you take on the risks of such an undertaking and
tackle it on your own (of course with some help from the Guy upstairs). There
are so many upsides to traveling by yourself that I have discovered and I would
challenge anyone, who thinks they are willing, to try it for yourself sometime.
Now, I would suggest reading this in parts, as I certainly did not write this
beast in one sitting. If you are going all out, perhaps you should grab some
coffee or Red Bull to keep you progressing. Enjoy.
My story about traveling to Turkey starts with travel
arrangements. I had planned on taking the bus, but about 10 days before I found
out the bus schedule was about as inconvenient as it could be. They had buses
leaving on the 22 (day of the Christmas program) and 25. One was a several
hours too early and the other was late, so I decided I needed to buy a plane
ticket. However, this presented a problem because I had not done any research
and did not have any sort of itinerary in mind, so I did not know what dates to
choose. On Saturday night I spent about
6 hours reading my tour book and came up with an aggressive plan and decided I
needed as much time as I could get. That night I booked a flight for the
afternoon on the 23rd and would return the morning of January 2 giving me 10
days and New Years in Istanbul.
After a late night with the Christmas program I packed up
and readied myself for anything. There was a lot of unknowns as I would be
traveling alone, in winter, and without any reservations. I was hoping that it
would not rain much, that I could get from place to place, that hostels would
be open and available, and English speakers would be available to help me.
Day 1
Thursday afternoon I flew to Istanbul and took the metro to
the bus station. When I went outside it was pouring rain and I did not see any
station. No one seemed to speak English to help me find the station.
Eventually, I found a long row of buildings with hundreds of signs listing
different destinations and located the name of my first destination. Relieved I
asked for a bus ticket, but the man said it was full and that there were no
other buses until tomorrow night. I was a little disheartened because things
were not working out and it was cold and wet. However, after asking around
someone pointed me to a man who spoke good English who told me I could take a
bus that night to a city nearby where I was planning to go. I walked the long
row of buses until I located the bus and got on board. For the next 11 hours I
sat on the bus trying to read my tour book and to sleep. My neighbor was a
large Turkish man who pointed to himself and said “sergeant”, but he was
friendly and bought me some tea.
Day 2
The long bus ride left me with a sore tailbone, but I caught
the next bus to Goreme in Cappadocia, which was only an hour and a half. The situation
I found myself may have been an act of God because I heard someone speaking
English. I decided to introduce myself and see what I could find out. Turns out
that the women, Sharon, was an American who was teaching English at a Turkish
university and other guy, Arkhan, was her Turkish teacher. Arkhan was a native
of Goreme and had agreed to meet Sharon to tour the area over the weekend and
they asked me if I wanted to join them. I said there may be a few places I
would want to get to, but I would definitely be interested in hiking the
valleys with them. After a shaky start
to the trip, I felt comfortable and fortunate.
We arrived in the late morning and I quickly found a cheap
hostel to check into before heading by bus to the underground city of Derinkuyu
with Sharon. The city was 10 levels of rooms carved out of stone, over 80
meters deep, and could hold up to 50,000 people although most was no long
accessible to the public. The city been used successively by Hittites, Romans,
and Byzantines as a hideout from invasion, persecution, and the harsh elements.
We walked through the rooms and winding passageways as a tourist officer
explained some things to us. There were churches, burial rooms, wells, stables,
and lots of large circular stones that could roll to function as doors.
After exploring the countless passageways we slowly headed
back to Goreme where I ran to visit the Open-Air Museam. This was an area with
dozens of churches carved into the interesting rock formations by communities
of monks. Most of the chapels had been beautifully painted with icons and
Biblical scenes in a diversity of colors that were awe-inspiring. As the night
fell, I ran back into town and walked through a couple of shops and realized
how much I liked Turkish decorations such as lamps, candleholders, tea sets,
fabrics, and hookah. Some day when I have a place of my own I am thinking I
will devote a room to Middle Eastern décor.
Exploring town at night, I thought about how it was
Christmas Eve. It was my first Christmas away from home it would be quite
unique. I walked around the lit town singing some carols to myself as a light
snow began to fall. I sat down on a curb to think and take in my surrounding
when I realized I was right across from a mosque. Celebrating Christmas in a
country where almost everyone was Muslim meant I carried the reason for the
season in my heart and I spent some time praying for the Muslims entering the
mosque as the call to prayer echoed through the valley.
The three of us travelers had agreed to meet that night and
Arkhan took us to his house for dinner. This experience added to the
distinctive atmosphere of the night as the whole family was devout Muslim. The
women wore coverings and served us homemade food as the family came into to
fellowship with each other. My first time in a Muslim household was on
Christmas Eve and I was very thankful to have this opportunity to experience,
learn, and reflect. Arkhan and his family were so hospitable and wanted to
provide everything for us.
To cap the night the three of us went to a hookah bar to
relax, converse, and listen to live Turkish music. This was such a rich
conversation as I unloaded many questions on Arkhan, who was not only a devout
Muslim but also a Fulbright scholar who had taught Turkish at Cornell for a
year. We talked about Turkish culture, politics, history, religion, and some of
the intricacies of Islamic practice. He completely supported all dietary/health
constraints, believed Mohammad was actually transported to Jerusalem from Mecca
and ascended to heaven one night, but he did not stop to pray during the day. I
learned that Turkish is an identity very fiercely separated from both European
and Arab realms. The people had carved out a unique worldview and history by
living at the crossroads between both worlds. I also learned that many Turks no
longer wan to join the EU because of recent problems and noticing how it could
cause them to compromise their identity. It was difficult to stop thinking
about how abnormal and awesome this Christmas Eve had been. I returned to my
room in anticipation of sleep because I had gotten very little the past two
nights.
Day 3
The next morning as I opened the door of my room I was
greeted by a white Christmas. There was about 4 inches of snow on the ground
and it would continue to fall the rest of the day. Although a white Christmas
is always coveted, I was not sure if I wanted it this year as it would affect
my ability to tour the area. Nevertheless, the three of us set out for the
local castle and climbed it for what was supposed to be one of the best views
in the world. Unfortunately, the snowstorm reigned supreme and there was no
visibility…I was disappointed because we could have been on the top of a
mountain anywhere.
As we descended through the town and made our way into the
Pigeon Valley the storm began to calm and we were left with a peaceful snowfall
with much improved visibility. My disappointment began to ease as I looked at
my gorgeous lunar-like surroundings covered in white snow, a truly remarkable
sight. The snow-capped tree limbs would hang over either side of the path
framed by outlandish canyon walls on either side. It was very slippery
navigating the valley in my sneakers, but I was surprised how well my old
faithful classic Nikes held up in the snow. After hours of hiking, the moisture
was only beginning to make its way to my socks.
Back in town we visited my hostel so that I could warm up,
put on some new socks, and cover them with double plastic bags. During the
break we had an interesting conversation as some others asked me all about
Anabaptism because I had mentioned being Mennonite. We set out for the Love
Valley after lunch, which was more peaceful until we lost the main path and
decided to glide down a slide-shaped slope to reach the valley floor. I
realized again how fortunate I was to have two adventurous companions who were
willing to go off the beaten path to explore the beautiful surroundings. This
valley was full of the narrow chimney shaped rock formations that make Cappadocia
so unique and we explored a couple that had been used for shelter in the past.
As the sun set over the canyons, we walked back into town and Arkhan again
invited us for dinner. Eating warm home-cooked food was a welcome experience
after hiking all day in the snow. We then parted ways before I boarded an
8-hour night bus that would take me west to Pamukkale.
Day 4
The bus arrived while it was still dark and freezing cold. I
soon found another American who was willing to travel with me for the day and
we discussed our plans. He was a small, red-haired liberal fellow from
Wisconsin who was taking a break from his studies in Denmark. In the morning we
walked up on the side of the travertine slopes covered in white calcium
deposits up to the Roman city of Hierapolis. We first took off our shoes and
walked along the steaming blue hot spring pools that cover the slopes before
entering the Necropolis. We took our time exploring the extensive ruins
including an agora, stadium, latrine, temples, amphitheater, and churches.
The coolest remains were from a church built over the site
where St. Phillip is believed to have been martyred. The site was at the top of
a hill and had a long staircase leading up to an impressive structure with
great views of the city and landscape below. We enjoyed climbing into and on
top of many of the ruins to satisfy our adventuresome urges. The sun was warm
in the afternoon and we relaxed next to the calcium pools before making our way
down the slopes barefoot (required). That night we gathered some fruit and ate
in a restuarant in town before I boarded my afternoon bus to Seljuck. The bus
arrived at night and I quickly found a hostel where I had a conversation with a
Turk and two girls from Austria before going to sleep…turns out they have never
seen the Sound of Music.
Day 5
The next morning I decided the easiest way to see everything
in a day was to take a tour. The first stop was the temple of Artemis, which
was one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, but has now been reduced to one
pillar and a few stones. It was interesting to imagine what this massive temple
would have been like; the guide mentioned it had similarities to the great hall
in Karnack Temple where I had been in Egypt.
We then traveled to the ancient city of Ephesus, where Paul
traveled (Ephesians) and where St. John likely ministered. The city used to be
the center of commerce in the region and this was perhaps the most extensive
Roman remains that I had seen. There was a stadium, a massive amphitheater, long
streets, terraced houses, temples, baths, colonnades, latrines, fountains,
statues, a huge agora, and the famous library of Ephesus. Most of the city had
been buried a few decades ago and it was interesting to imagine life in this
bustling city. There was evidence of gladiators, churches, and the guide told
us there was an underground tunnel from the library to the brothel for the
wealthy men who wanted to secretly indulge in this amusement while protecting
their image by telling others they were doing research. There was also a ton of
cats all around the ruins that functioned as tourist attractions in their own
right as many got distracted from the guide and began taking pictures of or
playing with the cats. I noticed that there are a slew of cats and several dogs
throughout Turkey.
After spending hours exploring the ancient city, we went for
a buffet lunch that was included in the tour price. Obviously I enjoyed getting
my money’s worth, but I also met three girls from California and we discussed
higher education. Next, we drove up a winding mountain road to a small house
that is believed to have been the place where Mary lived out her final days.
The main reason it has been traced to this area is because scholars believe
that John the disciple, who was charged by Jesus to take care of his mother,
spent part of his ministry in Ephesus around the time when Mary is believed to
have died. So Mary would have accompanied John on this journey and other signs
have pointed that she would have retreated to this peaceful location on the
mountain…she must have been in good shape to hike up there.
Following a quick visit to the house, we were taken to a
Turkish carpet shop where we were shown how silk is extracted and spun, how the
distinctive double knot is executed, all the different kinds of carpets and
embroidery, and of course asked to purchase some of their wares. After watching some Koreans throw their money
around, we were dropped off for a quick visit to the ruins of the Basilica of
St. John before sunset. Tradition holds that St. John was ministering in
Ephesus where he wrote his gospel before he died and was buried at the site of
the church. That night I walked around with the three ladies and then had a
conversation with a young local man over hookah before jumping on my 9-hour
night bus to Istanbul.
In the middle of the night I was surprisingly awoken when
the bus drove onto a ferry. I had not thought that the fastest way to Istanbul
would involve crossing the Dardanelles back into Europe. This was a welcome
surprise because this was the point where the armies of both Xerxes and
Alexander the Great would have crossed to invade each other’s territories. It
was hard to imagine how the Persians would have constructed a pontoon bridge
across such an extensive area of water, but the army was so huge that this was
the only feasible way to cross the Hellespont. It was also nearby the site
where the infamous battle of Gallipoli occurred during WWI, which plays an
important part in both Turkish and Australian/Kiwi national consciousness.
Day 6
Within a couple hours of landing in Europe, we reached
Istanbul where I was dropped off in the morning in the old part of the city
named Sultanamet. After shopping around
a little, I found a hostel that I was satisfied with and booked a bed for the
next five nights…finally I would have a bed and a sense of being settled.
I would like to take a break to point out some trends that I
noticed during my time in Turkey either by chance or reality. The first is
people had frequent difficulty answering their cell phones. I cannot tell you
how many times I heard someone say “hello, hello” in a loud voice and proceed
to hang up. It happened everywhere and it made me wonder what was the deal. The
second was public relationship drama. In Istanbul I observed two arguments, and
I think I saw one guy try to propose. It was New Year’s Eve and he was down on
one knee, the girl was walking around evidently thinking hard. It seems she did
not say yes because when I returned I saw them part ways and he was having
trouble walking. He had to prop himself up with a tree, so I felt really bad
for this guy.
The third was people thinking I was Turkish. Many people
would start talking to me and, when I responded in English, they would either
look at me confused or tell me they thought I was Turkish. It was nice
sometimes because many of the shopkeepers would not bother me while they
hassled others who looked more touristy. With the help of my kaffiyeh, I had
some English speakers ask if I was Muslim, while others joked that I was a part
of the Kurdish resistance. One man told me that my eyebrows were what made me
look Turkish.
Another thing was how liberal all the American travelers
were. The majority of those I interacted were vegetarians, they talked about
stratified income taxes and social security, made cracks at George Bush, and
studied modern art, education, or psychology. I began to notice (during
thanksgiving as well) that a majority of travellers seem to be liberal,
particularly when you look at those staying in hostels, and they criticize how
so many Americans never leave the country.
The final thing was how those I traveled with commented
about how I served as their religious and historical guide to sites. I got into
a few conversations about Church, Roman, and local history in which I did a lot
of explaining from my past studies. People were very impressed by my knowledge
and I thought it was really cool how even my teaching at LAC had prepared me
with the understanding I needed to more fully take in my visit.
When the first morning in Istanbul arrived, I went to
breakfast that involved a satisfying buffet of coffee, hard-boiled eggs,
olives, granola, yogurt, and French toast. I set out for the sights of the old
city starting with the Aya Sofia. I bought a 72-hour pass that would get me
into most of the main sites and looked to hitch on with a tour guide group, but
after being frustrated I decided to buy an audio guide, which was exhaustive
but satisfactory. This place is amazing.
Built by Justinian in the early 6th century after the previous churches had
been burnt down, the church in all of its grandeur still is present today. The
central room has to be one of the largest indoor open spaces in the world
because there are no pillars to support the ceiling and the massive dome. The
church was converted to a mosque when the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453,
but the mosaics and frescoes were preserved because the Muslims covered them in
plaster rather than destroying them. Now everything has been uncovered and
partially restored to reveal an interior covered biblical scenes, colorful
designs, and beautiful Islamic calligraphic script. The collision of faiths
with such a magnificent space forces one to wonder about the events and history
that has occurred in and around that sight.
Although I did not want to leave, eventually I made my way
out of the Aya Sofia to explore the streets of Sultanamet. I walked into decorated tombs of former
sultans, down a central street where obelisks from Egypt stood over the site of
the ancient hippodrome, and into many gorgeously decorated mosques that were
hidden gems dotted across the city. I eventually descended to the coast and
walked along the shores of the Bosporus enjoying the sun and atmosphere of the
city on my way back to the Aya Sofia. Across the square, the Ottomans had built
a new mosque to rival the grandeur of the Aya Sofia.
The Blue Mosque, having avoided the chaos of constant
reconstructions, was more impressive from the outside with its uniform design,
six minarets, countless domes, and large huge courtyard. The inside was
beautifully decorated with Islamic designs and script on a background of
wonderful blue tiles, from which the mosque got its nickname. However, to again
attest to the architectural genius or craziness of the Byzantines in the
achievement of the Aya Sofia, the vast open space in the Blue Mosque requires
the support of four massive pillars. As I walked through the mosque I could not
stop thinking about how beautiful the Islamic decoration was without any use of
images. Furthermore, the sheer number of massive, beautiful, and historically
rich mosques within Istanbul is astounding and perhaps unmatched by any other
city in the world.
My day continued as I made my way to another impressive
structure. The Basilica Cistern, also built by Justinian, is hidden under the
streets of the city. After descending down the stairs my eyes took in an
seemingly endless space supported by countless pillars. Over 100,000 sq. feet
of space to hold nearly 3 million cubic feet of water, this was the largest but
only one of several large underground cisterns that were necessary once the
cities sources of outside water were cut off from the aqueducts. This
stupendous network of water supply is one of the components that made this city
nearly impossible to siege.
When I resurfaced, the sun had nearly set and I made my way
to less touristy part of the city to grab a cheap dinner on the street. I ate a
lot of dóner (shaved chicken sandwich) because it is cheap, delicious, and
decently filling. There was a lot of bustle in the evening along the alleyways
of the city and I spent some time exploring before being confronted by another
huge mosque glowing in the night. The call to prayer had just sounded so I made
my way in to observe hundreds of local Muslims observing their prayer time.
There was a steady stream of believers who would come in to pray next to one
another as the “Ummah” or community of faith. I sat there observing, listening
to the chanting, and reflecting on Islam, practice of faith, discipline, and my
experiences of the day. I was certainly in a unique place. I felt so blessed to
have reached Istanbul safely and was looking forward to sights and learning
experiences to come in the next days.
Day 7
After asking for some traveling advice and eating
breakfast, I took the train to Yedikule Fortress (Fortress of Seven Towers).
Although very few tourist go to this out of the way site and the tour guide
mentioned it is in a questionable part of town, I think this was an essential
stop. This fortress formed the main entrance by land into the city during Byzantine
times, in fact, at one time there was a triple triumphal arch that was plated
in gold. I was disappointed to be charged an entrance fee into such a run-down
location, but I was glad there were few people around as I navigated the
ramparts. Climbing up the towers and running along the walls offered a glimpse
into the ancient past of the most defensible city in history. The views were
likely some of the best in the city as I was high over all my surroundings and
the new and the old of Istanbul surrounded by water. I was really able to take
in an appreciation for the organization and size of the ancient city.
From the towers I was able to look down along the triple
wall network that protected the western land approach to the city. There was a
moat with a raised wall on the inside, a small defensive gap before a higher
outer wall that could support the defense of the first layer, and another gap
before the massive inner wall that could support the outer two levels and that
was impressive in its own right. With the land side sealed by this impenetrable
network, the other three sides were protected by a single wall built close to
the shore to prevent enemy forces from being able to land. Furthermore, the
northern approach by the Golden Horn was sealed off by a massive chain that
stretched across the water to a fortress on the far side. Attacking the city
was hardly feasible before the invention of the cannon and siege was nearly
impossible since the city had stored huge surpluses and could be supplied from
the Black Sea, Mediterranean, across the Bosporus, or from the land side. To
cap it off, this fortress protected the main gate with massive towers built
along a wall to enclose an additional defensive field. This defensive network
created a slaughterhouse for anyone stupid enough assault it directly as each
level supported the outer defenses. Since I had just taught about this in
history class, it was awesome to be taking it all in directly and experiencing
this masterpiece.
Next, I walked into the heart of the city through countless
streets where thousands of people when about their daily business with barely
any tourists in site. Eventually, I arrived at the Grand Bazaar which is a
massive enclosed space with countless shops. There are so many colors, scents,
and noises in that place that the atmosphere was certainly unique, but I was
not about to get caught up in it all and begin shopping. Being naturally
critical of spending money on material goods, not knowing what type of
traveling opportunities I would have in the future, and not having room to fit
it in my pack, I was limiting myself to very few purchases. However, I did
spend time wandering around the streets and into the shops to experience this
highlight. The bazaar was so huge that trying to pass around it was a serious
time commitment and hassle that I encountered when I returned on Sunday and it
was closed.
After exiting I continued to walk around the walls of
Istanbul University and soon encountered the wonderful Suleymaniye Mosque. This
mosque had a beautiful courtyard and some of the most elegant internal
decorations that I had seen. Continuing on I soon came to the main entrance to
the university, but noticed a nervous energy in the square. I spotted a squad
of well armored police equipped with gas masks and noticed a small group of
students assembling. Soon these students walked to the steps above the square
and began shouting “Allahu Akbar” among other things. I asked around for
someone who spoke English and eventually someone told me they were protesting
against the universities apparent enrollment discrimination against
conservative or radical Muslims. I also noticed they had an inflated suicide
bomber Santa and a sign that said “Noel”, so I gathered that they were
suggesting that while the city allows Christmas to be recognized for tourism,
they do not allow devout Muslims to enter the university. While no violence
occurred, the situation seemed a little tense and it was an interesting thing
to encounter while roaming the streets.
After having some serious struggles at the bus station
finding the correct bus, I eventually was helped by an English speaker to board
a bus that would drop me nearby Chora Church.
The site is an old Byzantine Church that had been covered in plaster
when the Ottomans took over, but was recently discovered to be one of the most
stunning examples of Byzantine art in the world. The walls and ceilings were
completely covered in vivid frescoes and mosaics portraying images of Christ,
Mary, the Saints, and dozens of biblical scenes. It was very cool to be
completely surrounded by art and to decipher what the meaning of all the
depictions were.
This site was very far from everything else in the city, but
since I did not want to spend money for a taxi individually, I decided to take
a crack at the bus system. This aggressive step came back to bite me on the
return journey. Losing track of my direction in the winding streets I boarded a
bus with the location I wanted to go posted on the front. I had not thought at
the time that I had boarded it going the wrong way and that during rush hour,
this loop could take around three hours. In addition, I did not have a ticket
and when I tried to purchase one from the driver he seemed to suggest that this
was not allowed. No one on the bus spoke a word of English, so people kept
staring at me and I believe the driver, initially thinking I was Turkish,
assumed that I was trying to sneak a ride without paying. I knew I had really
missed something when I was the only one left on the bus and the driver pulled
over and turned off the engine. I tried to explain that I was an English
tourist who spoke no Turkish and he became very understanding. He bought me
some tea, I tried to explain where I wanted to go and he acknowledged that I
was on the right bus. I no longer felt like a complete idiot. It took over
another hour crawling through traffic before we arrived at the stop where the
driver emphatically motioned that this was the place, so I thanked him for
being understanding. Hey, if nothing else, I got a free ride and a learning
experience. Little did I know that the busing fiasco would be trumped by a far
more difficult learning experience later that night.
Feeling like I had wasted a lot of time, I was glad to have
five days in Istanbul so that I would not miss seeing anything important. I
grabbed some fish sandwiches by the water and decided to take the much simpler
tram into the new part of the city across the Golden Horn. When I got off, I
knew that where I wanted to explore was far away, but I was not about to take a
bus so I took out my map and began making my way through the city. It was nice
to get a feel for the everyday more modern part of the city before reaching the
bustling pedestrian center of the new city along this long cobblestone street
where no cars were allowed.
This place was cramped and there were people everywhere. I
had my map out trying to make sure I did not miss anything and attempting to
locate a good place to sit and drink or eat something. During this time I
Turkish man approached me and asked what I was trying to do. I told him and we
began to converse about all sorts of things. Eventually, he asked if I wanted
to join him for dinner and I agreed. We sat outside on an overcrowded street
lined with restaurants. He asked me if I had tried fish and suggested
something, later he suggested we get some salad and local liquor, and feeling
as if he was trying to host me I agreed. He also ordered some fruit and
additional fish to cap the meal. When the check came it was $55 dollars and he
said we would split it since we were both men…I was a little surprised because
he was ordering things on his own, suggesting things to despite me saying I
just wanted something small, and was talking about how money was no issue for him,
but I did not see it as unreasonable as I had agreed and had shared in most of
the meal. While during our conversation he made some ignorant remarks and
seemed to be focused on material things, I found it interesting listening to
him talking about his life and gaining another Turkish perspective.
After dinner, he asked me if I had been to a Turkish pub.
When I said no, he said I should try it before I leaved and invited me to join
him. I figured it could be interesting to experience a more local atmosphere
that could be found at a pub, so I agreed. I followed him into a building and
down some stair into a dark lounge type bar area with tables. He quickly lead
me to a table and asked if I liked wine or liquor more, when I responded “wine”
he asked white or red. This all happened very quickly and I had little time to
assess the situation, but now that we were sitting and I had removed my coat I
looked around and did not like what I saw. I noticed the waiters were wearing
ritzy suits and that there was a empty pole in the front of the room (evidently
for female entertainment).
I began to feel uncomfortable and while thinking what to do,
the man asked for some fruit to be brought and told me to relax. Well it was
too late for that, and my discomfort only mounted when the wine was poured and
he requested a new glass because he was a little smudged. I kept thinking who
is this guy and what is this place I am stuck in? How could this be classified
as a Turkish pub? And I had just told him how I could not really afford to
spend money like I did on dinner on a normal basis. I did not eat anything and
I decided to tell him I was uncomfortable and wanted to leave. He was a little
put off, but said no problem and asked for the check. I tried to escape by
suggesting that I did not want him to have to leave because I felt
uncomfortable, so he could stay, but he said we would leave together.
Well when the bill came, my fears proved true as the bill
was around $350 dollars and he again lightly remarked that we would split it.
Now I was put off. I tried to explain how I had not ordered anything, eaten
anything, had told him I did not have much money, was expecting to go to a pub
for a cheap drink, that I felt it was wrong to ask me to pay, and that I could
not afford this. But in front of the waiter he asked if I was drunk
(infuriating), said that I was acting like a child (vexing), told me I had
agreed to come with him and to drink (exasperating), and that we would split
the bill (enraging). I was about as upset as I could be, yet I tried to keep my
cool.
I tried to think if there was a good way out of this, but I
figured going to the police would not help because I had been with the man for
a while and had agreed to go to the “pub” with him. I also did not want the money to be such a
big deal, but I had been working so hard to keep this trip affordable and that
was about to burst open. I was grabbing my head and swaying back in forth in my
frustration. I took out my wallet and told him I did not even have enough money.
He looked at what I had and I offered all the applicable currencies I had
available (not Albanian Lek or Croatian Kuna) and when I pulled out all my
small bills, he even had the audacity to push them back at me and tell me they
were good for nothing. Well, I put all my “adequate” money on the table, about
$120 and the manager said it was fine, that they would cover the remainder…what
a noble sacrifice considering we didn’t eat anything. They told me to stay and
enjoy myself (are you kidding me?), but just wanting to escape I got out of
there as quickly as I could.
I ran across the street to find a place to sit and try to
process. I felt about as angry and disgusted as I had ever felt in life. The
whole way the man acted and talked combined with the atmosphere of the strip
club made me feel sick. I felt used and I hated sin very emphatically at that
moment. I prayed that God would give me peace, use this occurrence as a
learning experience, and to keep this anger from sowing bitterness in my heart.
I cried a little and punched a wooden post a few times. I began to ask why I
didn’t deny his invitations and why I did not react quicker and with more
assertiveness? I knew that these questions were mostly unfair on myself because
I could not have known under the circumstances, but there had to be a reason
that situation occurred. I learned that I have to be more careful and assertive
in my interactions with others away from home, and that every situation may not
result in a genuine atmospheric experience.
I began to walk and consciously made the decision to try to
forget about the money and move on to enjoy the remainder of my vacation. This
did not happen very quickly, as in my anger I had lost all track of time
because suddenly I was at a landmark that seemingly was supposed to take much
longer to reach. The Galata Tower marks the highpoint and only remaining part
of the Genoese fortifications that built across the Golden Horde during the
decline of the Byzantine Empire. The way the tower was lit and glowed above the
city gave me a sense of encouragement and I continued to ask God that He would
work to make this a result in something good.
I took the tram back to Sultanamet and headed for my hostel,
but I had some fear that overcame my anger. What if this guy was upset and came
looking for me? During the course of conversation I told him where I was
staying and what I was planning on doing tomorrow. I discussed these concerns
with the guys at the front desk, but they assured me he would not come looking
for me and if anyone did ask for me they would tell them I was not staying at
this hostel…a lie that I felt fine with (perhaps an interesting discussion
topic).
Before bed I talked with one of my crazy roommates who had
been traveling throughout Europe for about 4 months. I asked him about his
experience a couple of places, but all he talked about was the price of beer
and chances of getting laid. He did have an amusing story about getting
deported after flying into England because he did not have a return flight and
the customs officer suggested that he was trying to steal coveted English jobs.
Hearing how something really sucky had happened to someone else made me feel
like I could relate and helped me to move on.
Day 8
The next morning I awoke with no fear and took delight in my
French toast with honey and jam as there was no syrup, but this was delicious.
I first headed to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, which I found out was
famous its collection of carpets. There were a few rooms that really were quite
impressive displays of huge, old, and beautiful carpets. Other displays
included beautifully decorated Qur’ans, jewelry, and other luxuries.
Next, I decided to sneak in my tour of the Bosporus before
the predicted rains came. I decided to take the hour and a half tour rather
than the all-day venture, which was a great decision because it got quite
frigid, I had seen enough, and I needed to save some time in order to see
everything on my museum pass before 72 hours expired. The boat cruised by the
Dolmabahce Palace, the sprawling modern city, and the two mighty suspension
bridges that crossed the Golden Horn. The sight I was most interested in was
Rumeli Hisari, the fortress built by Mehmet the Conqueror opposite of the
existing Ottoman fortress on the Asian side of the Bosporus. These twin
fortresses were used to cut Constantinople off from supplies coming from the
Black Sea. With Ottoman control of the Mediterranean and the surrounding lands,
the city was isolated and soon fell after a lengthy period of cannon barrage.
The cruise gave me the opportunity to experience a crucial
part of the identity of the city as the Bosporus has been an incredibly
important strategic trading point for much of history. It was great to be able
to see both sides of the city sprawled out before me in order to take it all
in. In addition, I met some Iraqis while wearing my kaffiyeh and they seemed
very excited to meet an American. They told me how they loved America, I
figured they were business men who were profiting from our liberation and had
not experienced any of the fighting directly. When I inquired about the
national opinion on American interaction, they said they thought it was a
fairly even split. Good to know our “shock and awe” campaign was not a waste.
I made my way back to Sultanamet through the famous Spice
Bazaar; rows of shops dedicated to spices, nuts, and other delicatessen. One
guy called out to me from a shop and asked why I was wearing a kaffiyeh. When I
explained that I had studied in Jerusalem he inquired about my stance on the
conflict over Palestine, when I suggested that I saw problems and
justifications on both sides he gave me a hard time. He explained how he hated
Israel and that, if I was Israeli, he might have killed me. While I found that
unlikely, I asked him why he hated Israel so much and he responded by saying
they stole land and if they didn’t have America supporting them, they would be
eliminated in a second. It seemed that he was unaware of the fact that Israel without
support had overcome a couple attempts by Arabs to wipe them out. Either way, I
decided that he amused me and that I would buy some of the nuts and dried figs
that he was selling to snack on.
The next stop was one of the crown jewels of Istanbul,
Topkapi Palace. In fact this could be taken literally as it functioned as the
royal residence of the Sultan until the 19th century and it contains both
crowns and jewels. This part of the city is walled off from the rest of the old
city and only the sultan could pass through the entry gate mounted. The first
court was massive and was open to anyone who wanted to enjoy some time in the
gardens near the royal residence. The second court was only for people on royal
business, the third court was for select officials and members of the Sultan’s
family, and the fourth court was the Sultan’s residence where few other people
could venture.
The entire palace is just ridiculously elaborate and there
is gold everywhere. There is an extensive harem that would not only house
hundreds of the sultan’s concubines, but would also be the residence of much of
the royal family, most notably, the mother of the Sultan. The council chamber
contains a grate in the wall through which the Sultan would listen to the
proceedings and he could end the meeting at any time by drawing the curtain in
front of the grate. The royal treasury contained many rooms devoted to things
covered in jewels, gold, and ivory. There was one of the largest diamonds in
the world, several incredible thrones, and many elaborate weapons. Even more
fascinating were the religious artifacts the palace claimed to hold including:
the sword of David, the rod of Moses, the turban of Joseph, the brain of John
the Baptist, the beard and teeth of Muhammad, the footprint made in the stone by
Muhammad before he ascended into heaven at the site of the Dome of the Rock in
Jerusalem, the swords and Quran’s of the Prophet and the 4 Caliphs, and the
keys to the Ka’aba in Mecca.
It took forever to explore the palace as each new room
involved taking in the elaborate artwork and rich furnishings. The Ottomans
must have had too much money at their disposal in order to concentrate such a
ridiculous amount of wealth in one place. This place drew quite a crowd, for
even in the winter the lines were long and the corridors were packed with
people. It made me appreciate the benefits of traveling in the winter because
the religious artifacts would have likely taken all day in order to see up
close. It was difficult even then as people were packed into the rooms and were
pushing and growing impatient to see the relics. At least there was an imam to
chant soothing melodies to lighten the mood.
That night I grabbed dinner on the street and headed to see
the Whirling Dervishes perform. I was glad that I had reserved the ticket the
first day I was in Istanbul because I had a front row seat to this unique
opportunity. The brochure that was given to us helped to explain the fairly
complex Sema ceremony. Dervishes are Sufis, a mystical branch of Islam, who
believe in achieving union with God through ritual and asceticism. There are
sources that describe dervishes piercing themselves, drinking venom, and eating
hot coals without being harmed. This ritual was more sterile and was aimed at
achieving union with God through perpetual spinning.
The ceremony started with music and chanting of verses from
the Qur’an before the dervishes removed their outer cloaks and began to salute
each other in procession. Their initial rotations around stage represent the
creation of life on earth and the breath of life entering mankind. Eventually,
the dervishes began to spin with one hand facing up and the facing down to
symbolize receiving from God and giving to the earth. No one faltered even when
they suddenly stopped whirling and bowed. I actually had an opportunity to talk
to one of the Sufi musicians after the performance to inquire deeper into the
ritual, but his English was not good enough to understand my questions. He
mentioned that the Sufis train physically for this, but I would assume there is
a spiritual element involved. In order to achieve union with God, their mind
must leave the spinning body behind to encounter God. In other words, they
forget that they are spinning and only focus on achieving union with God, which
aids them in spinning for several minutes and to not fall over when they
suddenly stop. If the ability to perform the ritual was totally physical, then
I am not sure what the point would be.
Later that night I wandered around the city at night. I
talked with a Portuguese couple about traveling for a while and ventured into
another mosque to observe evening prayers. I located a bar that had a free
dervish show, but it was a guy by himself using a recording. When I exited the
bar, I meandered down some steps and suddenly found myself underground
surrounded by remains of the old Byzantine city. I walked the corridors for a
short time before arriving at the door to another cafe. In how many cities do
you venture through ancient corridors while directly bar hopping?
I continued to wonder through the city and eventually laid
down on a bench between the Aya Sofia and Blue Mosque, both glowing spectacles
in the night, dueling for my attention. To my surprise, as soon as I lay down,
a cat jumped on to me. I started petting it and it got really affectionate
quite quickly. It was purring and gnushuling (anybody know the real word for
when cats spread their paws against when they are happy – apparently a reflex
from when they used drink milk from their mother) in no time. I was happy to
have a companion and was quite amused by the quickness at which this cat was
completely comfortable with me. Some of the locals found it odd and were
wondering how I got it to be that way. They were trying to catch other cats to
take a photograph, but they were completely ignorant of the way to appease
animals. I started playing with the cats in the area by making rustling sounds
and sticking something over the edge of the benches. I had a few chasing me
around and then caught one for the Turks to take a picture with.
The next morning it was New Year’s Eve and I had dedicated
the morning to visit the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. This was certainly an
underestimate, as I would spend most of the afternoon there as well. There was
the Museum of the Orient that contained statues, carvings, and treasures from
Hittites, Babylonians, Persians, and Egyptians among others which was
interesting because, again, I had taught these civilizations in history class.
The other smaller building was the Tiled Kiosk, the only remaining classic
example of secular Seljuk architecture, which housed collections of beautifully
decorated pottery.
The main museum was a large undertaking for someone
interested in the local history. The first hours were spent looking a sarcophagi,
sculpture, and reliefs that were found in various tombs including the
sarcophagus of Alexander the Great. It was cool to see how many things depicted
everyday life in ancient times with such clarity and skill. The next stage was
devoted to the findings at Troy and trying to decipher the meaning behind the
many settlement layers to uncover which is most likely the city from Homer’s
Iliad. The final and most consuming phase of surveying came with the rooms
devoted to finds from the Byzantine era of the city. I read all the displays
describing the city’s organization, defenses, and importance and took in all
the related artifacts. There were more mosaics, statues, and reliefs giving me
glimpse into life in the ancient past. Constantinople was also essentially the
heart of Christian development for many years, so the Orthodox Christian
component adds to the grandeur. I did not think I could get so psyched about a
museum, but when I realized it was nearly 4pm by the time I was exiting the
complex, the evidence suggested the contrary.
After making some wandering observations within the city, I
returned to my hostel to garner information and plan a New Year’s Eve touring
route so that I would not feel like I missed out. I asked a few locals what
they suggested but heard no consensus or anything that excited me, so I set out
with a plan of my own. First I walked
through the streets of the old city on my way to the Golden Horn to find
passage across the Bosporus to the Asian side of the city. This allowed me to
take in the city at night from the water and to scope out all the action. My
thoughts were confirmed when the main source of light came from the general
direction of that pedestrian street in the new city.
I bought some dinner on the street at much lower prices and
walked around a bit before hopping on another boat around 9:30 to take me back
across to the new city. From there I made my way to the city center and found
thousands of people cramped onto this single street. I paused for a bit before walking
the street among people whistling and shouting in anticipation of midnight.
Then I took the tram around 10:45 back to Sultanamet and walked back to my
hostel which was supposed to have a great party. Not only was the party at my
hostel lacking, but there was not really anything exciting on the street. There
was music but not enough interest to get dancing going, so people were just
awkwardly interacting with each other. Around midnight we all went up to the
roof of the building to watch the fireworks, light some sparkles, and share
salutations. I decided there was no point in lingering and was in bed by 12:30.
Day 9
The entire city was asleep and so was I until about 10:30. I
ate breakfast and ventured out wander the city one last time and to indulge in
the Grand Bazaar again. I considered trying out a massage at a Turkish bath,
but it was 60 euro. While walking a man greeted me and asked where I was from.
We started talking for a while and then he asked me if I had been to a carpet
shop. I told him yes but explained that I was not interested in buying a carpet
because I did not have the money, the space, or the desire. After some more
talking he insisted I come to his shop with no obligation to buy but to have
some tea and conversation. I had told him plainly I was not interested and had
assessed the situation to be clean, so I followed him to his shop.
He gave me tea and talked with me about his business and
showed me a bunch of carpets throwing a lot of hypothetical questions at me
like, “If you were interested, which design would you choose?” I reminded him I
was not interested and suggested maybe I could get his business card in case my
travel tales raised someone’s interest. He insisted I choose my favorite and
then he began to bring down the price. Despite me saying not interested, he
eventually cut the price down to a 1/3 insisting he could not profit on this
price, but since I was the first customer of the new year, he needed to sell it
for good luck. Remarkably, when I insisted and got up to leave he got agitated.
He said it was stupid to miss out on an opportunity like this. After walking a
bit he asked me for money for the tea…I looked at him, he wasn’t joking. I
said, “You invited me despite my insistence on a promise of hospitality and no
obligation, now you are pushing me to feel obligated and going back on your
hospitality. This is disrespectful and not good business.” He didn’t like that
very much and said that only 1 tea is hospitality, but I had 2 or 3 and that I
was not an American because I was rude and like a child. There it was, a second
time being called a child by a truly admirable character. I told him thank you
and to have a good day and he responded by telling me to shut-up…alrighty. I
laughed to myself saying, “some people”.
Istanbul is the urban center of Turkey with the noticeable
European influences, but I felt that I had a much better experience with the
people the farther east I went. In Istanbul, shopkeepers and other people in
general seemed to put on a friendly cultural facade for the sake of profit and
did not really deeply engage in the traditions of place where they lived.
Despite talking to several people, I did not have any deep or meaningful
conversations there as people seemed to be consumed by materialism or worldly
concerns and distractions. They did not seem to be interested in me as a
person, but just as a source of temporary entertainment. My New Years’
experience only confirmed this feeling as all around me I did not see any
constructive reflection or conversation. All people seemed to be concerned with
was drinking, finding some girl, and themselves. Instead of having good
conversation and celebrating with dancing or song, these people sat around
looking at their phones waiting for something to happen.
When I combined this blahness, the lack of integrity I felt
in conversation, and the disgust I felt after throwing my money away, I saw
poignantly how empty the world could be. I saw a lack of purpose and inner joy.
I felt the heavy curtain of sin all around me and I felt so blessed to have
been saved by grace. I thanked God for giving me a sense of call, security,
hope, purpose, peace, and joy. I had experienced the other side at different
moments during this trip and it strongly galvanized my attitude of combating
sin in the world and in my life. I saw the importance of maintaining
righteousness and grace in the face of mistreatment, of trusting only in God to
keep me from drowning in the swamp of communal sin. I wanted to break through
the deceit, emptiness, and immaturity that surround us and to make a hole for
God’s light to shine through.
Well after that episode I was disappointed to learn that the
Grand Bazaar was closed on Sundays because I was thinking of buying a few
things. I walked around the bazaar and it seemed like forever until I had
gotten around the thing after being trapped by seemingly unlikely dead-ends.
Having enough of the city after the days experiences, I headed back to my hotel
to rest. On the way back I decided to visit the Blue Mosque again since it was
free and take in the Islamic splendor one last time.
I spent the evening writing my previous blog and organizing
myself to leave very early the next morning. Before bed I was drawn downstairs
by the sound of a saxophone. There were some Spaniards who had arrived and were
musically inclined. I talked with a few different people from Poland, France,
and Spain while listening to some guitar and experimental sing-a-long attempts.
Day 10
In the morning I took a shuttle to the airport, where I
think partially because of being exhausted, I got tired of seeing Turkish faces
and was very ready to return “home” to Albania. Within a few hours I was back
and thrown back into my life at school with all its work, complexities, and
joys.
My ten days in Turkey were such a blessing and an experience
that I will remember for the rest of my life (with the help of this blog). I
felt intellectually, spiritually, and psychologically stretched and rewarded by
what I encountered. Another thing that I have pondered after experiencing the
regimented life of a devout Muslim who has the discipline to stop and come to
prayer every day is the role of rules. While I have always believed that freely
choosing to do something is better than only doing something out of regimen or
habit, I believe that certain parameters are needed. In my spiritual life over
the past few years I have approached time with God as when I desire it. While
this has worked sometimes, a lot of the time this allows me to push it off or
forget about it. Like a call to prayer, maybe I should set certain times that
are non-negotiable for spending time with the Lord. I am glad for the new
perspectives to remind and motivate me to pursue likeness with Christ. I will
never come close, but there is no better model or purpose in the entire world.
Ah-salaam alaikum. Peace be with you!
