Turkish Delight!

Basilica Cistern

Our touring in Istanbul began with the Basilica Cistern. A cistern is basically a large underground water well that's kind of like a cave. This one in particular was the coolest one we've seen on our trip, and it was definitely a good start to an early morning! This provided water for the entire city of Constantinople.

Outside the Ayosofya

Ayasofya

Our next stop was the Ayasofya. It served as the largest church and building in the world until St. Peter's was built. It was built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century, and is a supreme achievement of Byzantine architecture. It was originally a Christian church, but after the fall of Constantinople it was turned into a mosque. It is no longer used for worship, but is a museum and major tourist attraction in Istanbul. Our group was super excited to see it!

Blue Mosque

After the Ayosofya, we were given an hour for lunch. Austin, Mary Louise, Allison, and I went back the restaurant where we had our welcome dinner. This time we ordered Italian food and it was delicious! It was kind of pricey, but the street food is just a little scary so it's worth it. Our next stop was the Blue Mosque. It was more beautiful, but the Ayasofya was a little more impressive. I'm not sure if that makes sense. The intricate tiles and floral carpets really made the blue mosque a beautiful place. It's the last great example of Ottoman architecture. In order to enter the girls must make sure their hair, shoulders, and legs are covered. The boys must also cover their legs. We had to put our shoes in a plastic bag because the ground inside the mosque is considered holy. The ground must be clean because they kneel and basically kiss the floor during their worship. The Blue Mosque is still a place of worship today.

Our second day began with the Topkapi Palace Museum. This was by far my favorite site of the entire trip. It was the home of 25 out of 36 sultans. We got to see the sultans' room, and learn about the way of life in the harem. This period of history is so interesting because it almost seems mystical and imaginary.

Harem Girls With Minay, Our Tour Guide

Tortoise Shell and Mother of Pearl Closets

The Sultan's Bed

After the palace, we were given an hour for lunch just like the day before. We decided we wanted to try the restaurant next to the one we had eaten at before, since it looked pretty good too. Once we sat down, the owner came up and talked to us about eating at the restaurant next door twice before. He told us he owns all the restaurants on that tiny street. We realized that's why they all looked so yummy! Our menu was the same as before, but we didn't complain because it's all fine cuisine. I got pizza today and a margarita for an afternoon cocktail. I wish I would have drank more because our next stop was another lame archaeological museum. Sorry but it really was lame. Minay is really cool, and she understands that as students we get very bored in museums. She did her best to get us out of there fast even though our teachers wanted to stay. Earlier in the day I had asked her if she could direct us to the mall. She said it was right by her house so she would be happy to take us. From the museum, it took about 45 minutes to get there and three types of transportation. We got on the tram first, then a trolley, and finally a subway. The subway dropped us off inside the mall, so we traveled across the city without ever going outside. It was quick and efficient, just like I like it. Austin chaperoned eight girls on this shopping adventure. What a little sweetie! I basically told him he had to come, but he doesn't really like us to go alone. The Turkish men are pretty gross and have a staring problem with women, especially legs. Minay gave Austin the Turkish name Tarkin, which is the name of a famous Turkish pop star. As if Austin needed another ego booster (haha). We've been calling him Tarkin Loukas which is pretty perfect. The mall is the largest in all of Europe and the second largest in the world next to the Mall of America in Minnesota. I feel bad because Austin thought it had an aquarium, but we realized that is actually located in the newer mall. That just means he can take us to the new mall tomorrow! We had KFC for dinner, went to a couple stores, and made it back to our hotel without getting lost. The KFC was kind of gross, but we should have known better. Our favorite stores were Zara and TopShop. The TopShop wasn't as fabulous as the one in London, but it was still better than shopping online. Before going to our hotel, we stopped for Turkish ice cream. It's very dense and kind of like laffy taffy. That's all for now!

Cevahir Mall

Nightie,

Elizabeth