Well I made it to Turkey quite easily with no hassles except for one. I got money out of the ATM at the airport and sometime between the airport and the hostel I managed to lose my keycard. After much angst (and I will admit a few tears as well) i think I have got it sorted out. My problem is that this was the only card I had that had a pin number attached to it so the only way I can withdraw cash is to go to the bank and withdraw money against my credit card whilst showing my passport. It will be agravating but I will get there.
Anyway after stuffing around this morning sorting out some more things with the family and the bank regarding my stuff up (because I know it was) I headed out to the Topkapi palace which is where the sultans would hang out. its very different architecture to what I am used to with Italy which is a good thing but took me awhile to get the hang of. I wandered around the palace and eventually bought a ticket to the harem as well. Its all very grand but in a different way to what Italy was i.e. no gold fretwork and gold leaf on every surface. Instead it was more mosaic tiles and marble flooring. The treasury which houses the crown jewels had to be seen to be believed. What they didn't have in gold leaf they made up for. I saw so many diamonds (one was 85 carats) and emeralds and rubies that it was a bit overwhelming. The harem was interesting too in alot of ways because it showed the layout and heirarchy in the harem even in the rooms.
After this I then headed off to Aya Sophya which is a mosque just across the way from the Blue Mosque. Again it is very different to Catholic churches with no major sculptures or gold leaf on every surface but it was huge and lovely all the same. I also bought Uncle Les his turkish hat outside the front of Aya Sophya and managed to bargain from 30 lira down to 8 so I think I got a bargain but will check it out when I go to the grand bazzar in a couple of days time.
Tomorrow I am on a walking tour that the hostel puts on so will give an update again in a few days. Hope everyone has a good easter while I walk around a moslem county.
I want to say ciao here but since I am now in Turkey I don't know the word in Turkish. Promise to learn it for the next post.
Toni
Anyway after stuffing around this morning sorting out some more things with the family and the bank regarding my stuff up (because I know it was) I headed out to the Topkapi palace which is where the sultans would hang out. its very different architecture to what I am used to with Italy which is a good thing but took me awhile to get the hang of. I wandered around the palace and eventually bought a ticket to the harem as well. Its all very grand but in a different way to what Italy was i.e. no gold fretwork and gold leaf on every surface. Instead it was more mosaic tiles and marble flooring. The treasury which houses the crown jewels had to be seen to be believed. What they didn't have in gold leaf they made up for. I saw so many diamonds (one was 85 carats) and emeralds and rubies that it was a bit overwhelming. The harem was interesting too in alot of ways because it showed the layout and heirarchy in the harem even in the rooms.
After this I then headed off to Aya Sophya which is a mosque just across the way from the Blue Mosque. Again it is very different to Catholic churches with no major sculptures or gold leaf on every surface but it was huge and lovely all the same. I also bought Uncle Les his turkish hat outside the front of Aya Sophya and managed to bargain from 30 lira down to 8 so I think I got a bargain but will check it out when I go to the grand bazzar in a couple of days time.
Tomorrow I am on a walking tour that the hostel puts on so will give an update again in a few days. Hope everyone has a good easter while I walk around a moslem county.
I want to say ciao here but since I am now in Turkey I don't know the word in Turkish. Promise to learn it for the next post.
Toni
posted by Toni Black at 5:34 PM
1 Comments:
I am just watching a story on the Aya Sophya mosque on telly right now!
So sorry you lost your card - hopefully the bank will replace it soon enough! Just make sure you don't get TOO much cash out at once! Don't want you being a mugging target!
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