TeaSugarDream

“Tea-sugar-dream” is how “thank you” is easiest said in Turkish, by English-speakers, according to the Turks. Easy to remember, but I felt like an idiot, garbling the language, everytime I tried to say it. Nonetheless, folks were patient with me, which was greatly appreciated. And everywhere they offered me apple tea, turkish coffee, and entertaining conversation – usually starting off with an offer to sell a Turkish carpet, but sometimes including some Byzantine or Ottoman histories, general tales of the tourist trade, and the occasional yakuza.

There was far too much to do and see in Istanbul and in Turkey for one week’s visit. Here are a few photos of some of the other highlights — starting with a “secret” 5th century byzantine church and mosaics, uncovered in the basement of this travel agency, and not open to the general public.

Go figure. Istanbul/Constantinople/Byzantium, and Turkey, overall, is like that; once you get past some of the sales pitches and the swagger, there are hidden treasures and histories, and indisputable charm. There’s also poverty and political tension, and monstrous socio-economic divides; Istanbul is an incredibly alive and diverse, exciting city that truly does blend East and West, with its European and Asian sides, and blends time, recognizing the past and looking to the future.

So here are some more must-sees, including the Basilica Cistern (a huge underground cistern built, archaeologists believe, in Roman times

and that’s one of the two Medusa’s heads by one of the former entrances):

This is the courtyard & cafe of the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, which actually includes several museums, and was the site of a concert the night I was there — Rufus Wainwright. The 2008 schedule is one of the links under “Turkey” on the sidebar — I’m thinking it could be a good thing to go back in 2009…maybe Tower of Power will be back!!

And a sarcophagi, of no less than Alexander the Great, if I remember right:

And here’s a very early example of the written word — with what always seems to survive, the bills:

Examples of pottery from the Islamic Arts Museum, near the Blue Mosque (the Islamic Arts museum had heart-stoppingly beautiful textures and patterns dating way, way back, in carpets, textiles, calligraphy, silverwork and bronze, tile and pottery):

Scenes from Istanbul’s famous spice market:

~ by mimi on July 24, 2008.