Blue Mosque

Rising early once again, I was awakened by the sound of raindrops hitting the cobblestone street outside the Hotel Nena.  Despite the weather, we all boarded a bus to tour the walls of the city.  Weaving in and out of traffic on a huge touring bus, we finally reached the walls, and to be completely honest, I thanked God for a safe arrival.  Riding in a vehicle in Istanbul was frightening, but driving would have been a near-death experience. 

After we viewed the walls, our tour guide led us to a church now commonly known as Chora, which from the outside looked small and common, but on the inside, the tour guide regaled us (in broken English) about the mosaics' depicting Jesus’ life, the lives of the apostles and the beginning of the Christian church.  Still in mint condition, the mosaics and frescos were unbelievable.  We were all astounded by the craftsmanship and artistry displayed in the mosaics and the frescos.

On our way back to the bus, we walked past the walls, and I encountered my first gypsy (for gypsies and their horses now live in the city walls) who stood beside me as her friendly neighbor gypsy snapped a photo of us together.  Instead of the walls and churches being the main attraction, we had become quite the spectacle.

Our guide took us by another beautiful church on the way back to the hotel, where there were more mosaics and frescos of Jesus.  He pointed out to our group that only in that church would we find a depiction of the naked Jesus.  That afternoon, we decided to be the first to try out the Turkish bath, which we had heard so much about.

Not knowing what to expect, we entered Cemberlitas Bath clueless and came out wide-eyed (but squeaky clean and shiny).  I won’t spoil the surprise for you, but when in Istanbul, a Turkish bath is a must.  It is a “once in a lifetime” experience.

After my bath experience, I was completely relaxed and needed a nap.  We agreed on taking short catnaps before getting ready for dinner and a night on the town.  Hasan, one of our local friends, recommended we dine at Sofa, a local haunt with reasonable prices and good food and then, hit Backpacker Row again for the evening.

Read the first entry: Flying to Istanbul

Read the second entry: Sultanhamet Mosques, the Hoppodrome, and spice bazaars

Read the fourth entry: The Haghia Sophia, Baths of Roxelana, Topkapi Palace, and a lost camera

posted by Stacy Dyer '96

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