June 16, 2009 – Day 173 – Istanbul, Turkey

Quite a busy day today! This morning we sat on the carpeted floor of the Blue Mosque watching the hoards of tourists pour in one side and back out the other within seconds. There were only a few local people there to actually pray and I have no idea how they could have done so with all the noise!

The (massive) Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque, despite its name, is not blue on the outside! Instead its nickname is because of the thousands of beautiful blue tiles lining the inside. Its official name is Sultanahmet and very few locals know it by its nickname (good to know if you’re at the bus station trying to get to it! Tons of hostels are just a couple streets over). Also, just know that you can’t go into the mosque with bare legs or shoulders. If you arrive at the entrance in shorts or a short skirt and sleeveless top, the attendants will provide you (free of charge) with a cloth shawl to cover up with. There were even several men who had worn shorts and had to wrap a shawl around their legs before they were allowed in. You’ll also be required to remove your shoes and place them in a plastic bag provided outside the entrance and then carry it with you as you walk around inside in your socks or bare feet. It’s always good to be prepared!

Outside the Blue Mosque

Inside the Mosque

Gold detail inside the Mosque

From the mosque we found ourselves walking through the Arasta Market just adjacent to it. Shops line both sides of the small boulevard selling various trinkets, glass and ceramic wares, scarves, prints, and the like. The shops in this market are typically overpriced as you’ll surely be able to see by their very nice store fronts. And we had many of the store owners tell us they “do not negotiate” but this is more than likely BS since they would prefer to make a sale than nothing at all! It would be worth a try and the worst they can do is say no.

After a great kebab lunch (about $4 pp for a big kebab roll and drink), we were ready to see the everlasting grandure of the Hagia Sophia. Admission is a bit steep ($12 USD) since it’s technically a museum now but it’s worth every penny and a trip to Istanbul isn’t complete without seeing this amazing structure. It was beautiful inside but they were doing massive renovations to much of the interior. Even through all the scaffolding, it was still a really amazing sight!

Outside the Hagia Sofia

Lindsey in the corridor

Down from the balcony

Half repair of the walls

Well, the fun doesn’t stop there. We carried on and plunged into the Grand Bazaar, a highly competitive raucous place. There are 4,400 shops and most sell about the same things. There are knockoff purses and wallets, scarves, boxes with Turkish motifs, chessboards, clothes, Turkish glass lamps, ceramic bowls and platters, evil eyes of all sizes, and much much more.

The Old Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar has a reputation for being overpriced because it draws so many tourists. Be a very hard negotiator and don’t be afraid to say no thanks and walk away—that’s almost always a surefire way to get the price lower, but keep bargaining from there. Most of those trinkets and scarves and things are made in China and despite the swearing oaths that the shopkeepers give you, they’re typically not real cashmere/handmade/mother-of-pearl inlaid/etc. That doesn’t make them any less interesting items but just use that info to make sure you get a good price (typically on larger items, 1/4 or less of the asking price is about right). There are so many neat things there but the shopkeepers are just dead set on scalping the tourists who come through. Good luck and have fun!

Wares in the market

Last stop of the day: ice cream! Turkey is famous for its thick, stringy ice cream and its tricky showmen who serve it to you. It is made with wild orchid extract to give it a stringy texture but as strange as it sounds, it is absolutely delicious! We went with the lemon flavor and they really stack it up for you. Chances are that you will have a stomachache from all the sugar but it’s worth it if you love ice cream.

Ice cream!