Suitcase Stories of the Shea's: Istanbul, Turkey

On Thursday November 27th 2014 we traveled to Istanbul, Turkey with our friends Amy & David. It just so happened to be Thanksgiving so we actually went to Turkey on Turkey Day :)

We were quite interested in this trip since it was going to be different from anywhere else we’ve traveled so far. We arrived late at night but still went out for drinks and had our first glimpse of the skyline and the many mosques lit up. We also noticed Istanbul has many stray cats as they were all over wandering the streets.

The next morning we set out to see the city after a very good description of things by our hotel at breakfast.

First we stopped to take some pictures of the mosques which are so different and unique.

Hagia Sophia...

Blue Mosque...

We wandered into the Basilica Cistern not really sure what it was but it turned out to be an underground archaeological site that has thought to have been created in the 6th century. An amazing site to see with large pillars, columns and even water with fish swimming around.

There also were some interesting Greek heads, which remain a mystery as to the meaning and how they got there and what they represent.

Also while in the Cistern we could not pass up this great photo opp…

Only 5 Euro to get all dressed up in traditional Turkish outfits!

From there we indulged our senses in the spice market for the first time. So many smells, colors, and textures to look at.

On this trip we just scoped things out, didn't buy yet.

So much to look at...

Before long the sun had come out so we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and hop on a Bosphorus River cruise.

So neat to see the city from the water and the many mosques on the Istanbul’s skyline.

A beautiful, relaxing afternoon

Loved how turquoise the water of the Bosphorus was...

Before we knew it we were even hanging out with the captain and staying warm in his captain's quarters. He was super friendly and excited to have the company. While he was a bit hard to understand, him and David talked each other’s ear off...

Above is a Turkish Palace and below is the bridge that connects the European side of Turkey to the Asian side which is divided by the Bosphorus River.

Turkish Flag...

The picture below is the Asia side,

the houses even looked more Asian!

Before long the captain was breaking out maps to explain things about the surroundings to us, all while driving the boat, such a nice guy!

Next we had a wonderful traditional kebab skewer lunch followed by some more exploring the streets and looking at the many things for sale. I could have shopped for days, so much food...

And streets filled scarves, fabric, beads, ribbon... a crafters dream! Overwhelming really, so I resisted the temptation... especially since living in the UK and no longer having a craft room!

Soon we headed to the Grand Bazaar, which is the largest and oldest covered market in the world. The Grand Bazaar covers 61 streets, contains 3000 shops and attracts an average of 91 million visitors each year!! Since this was our first pass through we just scoped things out and got a feel for what there was and how mighty big it was. We also began to talk about our “plan” for when we actually went back and were to be serious and start bartering for prices.

Next we went to the Blue Mosque and were planning to go inside. Amy and I covered our heads when we entered the grounds which is the respectful thing to do while visiting even if you are not Muslim. Turns out we were there during one of the many prayer times throughout the day so we were not able to go in. Instead we took in the close up views of the exterior of the mosque just as the sun was going down...

Incredibly beautiful and different…

Later that night we got ready to head out for drinks and dinner.

We had some yummy cocktails that night!

After dinner we went to a place we had read about called 360 Bar which was to have great views of the city being that it was high up. It had a pretty crazy see through floor which you could look down through all the flights of stairs below...

It was a hazy night but still incredible...

As midnight approached we had a countdown to 12:00AM which kicked off the start of my 30^th Birthday. While I wasn’t entirely thrilled about the milestone and feeling old things didn’t feel so bad surrounded by great friends. I remembered how thankful I am to have the opportunity to be traveling the world to be sitting overlooking Istanbul, somewhere I never thought I’d be! Brian thought it was only necessary to start the big day with a bottle of champagne to celebrate my 3-0!

The next morning we attempted our visit to the Blue Mosque. However, believe or not the Pope was in town and so visiting the area had been completely locked down by police and security until noon.

Of course by the time the Pope left there was another prayer service happening so it was a bit tricky to figure out when we were going to be able to get in. In the mean time we decided to head to the spice market and Bazaar for our actual shopping. We all were on the hunt for some Christmas gifts as well. Some of our purchases included pottery, Turkish towels, scarves, pepper, salts/seasoning, nutmeg and tea. When we needed an afternoon snack we stopped for an sesame ring from a street vendor.

Then finally the timing was right for visiting the Blue Mosque. Amy and I again covered our heads and we all also followed the other respectful tradition of removing our shoes. (As you can imagine it was quite smelly inside) Upon entering we were amazed by the colorful domed tile ceilings. Unlike Christian churches that have pews the inside of the mosque was just a large empty carpeted space, Muslims kneel on the ground to pray.

After the mosque we had another nice Turkish lunch complete with huge bread!

During lunch we took in the sounds of the Muslim prayers (singing) going on back and forth between two of the mosques. The entire city was pretty much covered in speakers so it is heard everywhere. At first this was quite an erie sound but once we were used to it we enjoying hearing the cultural sounds.

After lunch we stopped into the shop that was right near our hotel (we actually went in multiple times to make various purchases) The shop owner was so friendly and David & Amy bought a huge Turkish lamp.

Later in the afternoon at 4:00pm we had scheduled to partake in a very old Turkish tradition, a Hamam which is a Turkish bath. From what we had read we were a bit nervous as this is traditionally an aggressive full body exfoliation done by a large attendant, haha!! We decided to go for it anyway! The guys were split from the girls and here Amy and I are after changing into our provided Turkish towels and swim suit bottoms and before heading into the unknown...

Next we were lead into a beautiful domed ceiling room where we laid on a hot marble octagon slab to relax our muscles. It's a long story but before we knew it our towels were removed and we were being fully scrubbed until our skin was incredibly smooth and then we were being massaged and bathed like children (hair shampoo'ed and all) by our women attendants. The two of us couldn't stop laughing at times while thinking of Brian and David together and their experience in the other side of the hamam while we sat together sans tops...All Amy could say was "Well... Happy 30th Birthday!! Haha!" Truly a cultural and unforgettable 30th Birthday experience!

After going back to the hotel and getting ready for dinner I was soon surprised by the hotel staff with an extra special surprise. They had heard us talking that it was my birthday and knocked on David and Amy's door to plan getting me to the dining room for a special cake and music just for my birthday. It was so nice and unexpected, seriously one of the friendliest places we have ever stayed!