Day 26: Slow and steady

Istanbul, Turkey

Beware:  Lots of photos for today!

This morning we got up and went to the top floor for the hotel breakfast.  It was a plate with slices of bread, a hard-boiled egg, spreads (jelly, butter, soft cheese), olives, tomato slices, and cucumber slices.  There was also cereal and a fruit bread to add.  Also, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate.  My ankle is still swollen and I just need to move slowly.  Randy lets me lean on his shoulder on the stairs, especially if there is no railing.  if you did't read yesterday's blog, this klutz sprained her ankle yesterday.  I iced it, elevated it, and took anti-inflammatories last night and slept with it elevated.

Today we started out nearby with the Blue Mosque.  Joshua and Randy wore pants and I brought a scarf to cover my head.  My knee-length skirt was too short, so they had elastic-waisted skirts to borrow for women and men who showed their knees and headscarves for women's heads (though I didn't need that).  Unfortunately, the entire ceiling, which is where all of the great mosaics are, is covered up for renovation.  So we didn't spend a lot of time there.

Huuge pillar!

Ceiling in the entrance

Stained glass windows under the false ceiling

Entrance

Next to Topkapi Palace.  In 1459, after the Ottoman Conquest of Constantinople, Mehmed the Conqueror ordered a palace built overlooking the Marmara Sea and the Strait of Istanbul. Each generation added buildings so it grew organically over time.  It is obvious that there is no central plan.  First to get tickets--we waited an hour in line just to get tickets.  There were all six windows open and they are not complicated to generate. So why it took that long is a mystery.  Then we went inside.  There are way too many tourists here!  We bought an additional ticket to see the Harem apartments, so we did that too.  There are beautiful tiles everywhere in the palace and painted wood.  We were trying to imagine the royal family walking around, living there.

Outside of the palace

Entrance

Avlu Courtyard

Water tower

Inner entrance

Models

Models

Imperial Council Hall

From a display of clocks

The Audience Hall

The Library

A brazier in the library

The view from the palace

The gate leading down to the water

The Sofia Kiosk--It was used as a private room by the Sultan
who had meetings and watched sporting events here.  It was
open to the women of the harem.

The Sofia Kiost--the first example of Turkish Rococo architecture

Guard towers for the gate leading down to  the water

Another building in the courtyard

The courtyard

A statue

A dry fountain (dry fountains are so sad)

Another dry fountain/pool

The Bangkok Kiosk--a private library for the Sultans, where the
Sultans stored their turbans

Iftariye Balcony--built as part of the expansion of the Marble
Terrace.  The Sultan liked to use this balcony to break his fast each evening
during summer Ramadan.  The Sultans would also watch sporting events in the
garden from  the balcony.

The Circumcision Chamber (imagine having a chamber for that!)
The room received the name because Sultan Ahmed's sons were circumcised
in this room.

A Joshua statue

The Revan Kiosk--the pool was made smaller to build this Kiosk.  

The tower of the harem

The area of the palace for the Ward of the Tressed Halberdiers.  They
eventually became the army and were in charge of everything
(including the cleaning of the harems).  

The bath house

The rocks form a pattern that looks like a rug

Dormitory of the Black Eunuchs

The meals for the women of the harem were placed on this
counter and the concubines would deliver them.  All of the women
of the royal family (the Sultan's mothers, wives,sisters, and
daughters, as well as servant concubines) lived in the harem.

Details of the apartment of the Queen Mother

The bath rooms shared by the Queen Mother and the Sultan (The
Queen Mother is the woman that gives birth to the first son--the
one that will become Sultan).

The Imperial Hall

Water source

Golden Road

The kitchens

The original cisterns for water are beneath the path

Next Joshua got a souvenir and a new pair of sunglasses (he thinks he left his old pair in an Uber).   Then we had lunch.  Truth be told, we have been to this same restaurant three times now--for our snack and dinner yesterday and for lunch today.  They have good food, mostly good service, and it is convenient being on the edge of the plaza by the Hagia Sophia.  Plus, they have awesome lemonade!  We've had both American and Turkish food there.

Then on to the Grand Bazaar.  My ankle hurts, so we pause every so often on the almost a mile walk to the Grand Bazaar.  We had to go through a metal detector and it is packed with people!  The owners of the shop sit in the hallway and call to you, but they aren't overly insistent.  My ankle was hurting and I was super tired, so when we left, we found a plaza with benches.  Then we took the tram back to our neighborhood and to our room.  We bought water on the way and got more when we got back to our apartment (the owners sell it to you super cheap--about 30¢ for a one and a half liter bottle).

Turkish delight (the name makes me think of The Lion, the
Witch and the Wardrobe--Edmund liked Turkish delight)

lamp store

Another lamp store

cute, but narrow house

streets

entrance to the bazaar

Outside the bazaar

Scary looking tank a few blocks from our apartment

In our room, we took naps and Randy and I decided to just let Joshua sleep because we are being picked up at 3:30 (in the morning!) for our tour.  We weren't horribly hungry, so we decided to get some sleep instead.  We will be back to our hotel (the Side Hotel) for two more nights after our tour.