Turkey

So...the past two days we have vistited Turkey....first Istanbul for a whole day and then Kusudasi....as you might be aware...Istanbul I have been to before..but somehow I never made it to the Hagia Sophia...the red mosque...and because both mom and Mutti had never been to Istanbul...they were keen to join me in visiting the red mosque...so as soon as we arrived...off we went...grabbed a taxi which took us straight to Hagia Sophia....and damn...there was a line...not too bad...but we were a little under time pressure cause we wanted to meet kim for lunch and mom had to go to the airport at 14:30....so...what did we decide....there was some guide who offered to take us inside....he would allow us to skip the line and explain some stuff...and i must say his fee....very reasonable...so we thought..hmmm...that sounds like a plan...at least no line...and some background info...why the hell not....before going inside the red mosque he explained that the first Hagia Sofia was in fact burnt down (it was made from wood) and there are no remains....it was known as Magna Ecclesia aka Great Church, i was inaugurated in 360...after that he showed us the remains of the second Hagia Sofia which was inaugurated in 415 and was ordered by Theodsius II, a fire destroyed most of it in 532...then it was time to enter the third Hagia Sophia...the one that is famous and is now a museum....

Mutti standing with some remains from the second Hagia SophiA
Hagia Sophia
Entrance into Hagia Sophia

Wow...so big inside...but then again so was the blue mosque....now to some history of the Hagia Sophia...so this one was constructed just a few weeks after the second one burnt down...and Justinian I decided to build a third and entireoy different basilica, larger and more majestic...material came from all over, including the temple of Artemis in Ephesus and Egypt....Hagia Sophia actually means Holy Wisdom..first it was an orthodox basilica (until 1453), then a mosque until 1931and on 1st Feb 1935 it became a museum...also sadly a lot of the paintings inside the Hagia Sophia were covered because Isalm culture doesnt allow pairings of people...so they got covered...they are in the process now though the undo the covering and the paitings are starting to show again....now enough history...here some pics...

Inside the mosque
Standing on the second level
Paintings that were covered which are being re-found
Mutti and me inside the mosque

After our exploring of the Hagia Sophia, we took some pics of the blue and red mosque and then it was time to meet kim....

Hagia Sophia aka red mosque
Me and the blue mosque aka Sultan Ahmed

First....some warm chestnuts...damn they were delicious...but im a sucker for chestnuts because that is something you do not get in SA and in Switzerland in the winter there are little stands everywhere and they cook them...yummie..then some fresh orange juice (freshly squeezed infront of you) and kim wanted a döner.....

Döner kebab and freshly squeezed orange juice

Strolling through the bazar and spice market we made our way to the posphorus river and the famous bridge where ontop the cars drive and there is millions of fisherman and below is one restaurant after the next where we also decided to indulge in some typical turkish food....some mezes and a lamb kebab for kim...the mezes were great, especially the smoked fish in oil, the aubergine in tomato and the tzaziki with chili....

Fishing on the Pospherus
Mutti, Kim and i on the bridge
Our restaurant

Some of the food...fish in oil, tzaziki and aubergine....we also ordered small fried anchovies, lamb kebab, octopus salad and wraps

And yes...then it was time to get going....a coffee and some baklava on the way back....they only had turkish coffee...so of course i did not have, mom and Mutti tried....mom thought terrible (like me), Mutti thought it was ok....and kim loved it....and then it was time to say arreviderci to mom, who was going back to SA...she loved her time on the ship with us and it was a pity she had to go....but the restaurant was calling....but it was a good relexing one week for her...Mutti will stay until end of the cruise....5 more days.....

Baklava, far left pistaccio (tasted like off cheese, terrible), walnut (divine, my favourite) and last one on the right pistaccio (yummie also)

So....this was the first part of Turkey...Istanbul...tomorrow we will be in Kusudasi...a place i have never been to....hmmmm...lets see....for now cheers.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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