Editor's
Note: Here is Part II of 2 Parts of Jean Cherni's travels
in Turkey.
Following Bursa and its colorful
silk bazaar, we were finally headed for Istanbul where we
would have two full days with the tour and then three days
on our own to explore. We took a car ferry, and after a
short trip ... there it was, the crossroads of the world
... Istanbul!
The days became a whirl of
activity: St. Sophia, the great Byzantine Basilica built
in the 6th century; the Blue Mosque with its six minarets
and beautiful interior blue tiles; Topkapi Palace, the residence
of Ottoman sultans, housing the treasure of 700 years.
For me, the most impressive
sight, almost impossible to describe, was the enormous underground
cistern built in 527 A.D. to hold the city’s water
supply. You descend 52 stone steps to see what looks like
a sinking palace of huge columns and arches, a dimly lit
and seemingly endless cavernous space in which water flows
beneath the walkways and drips from overhead.
Eerie music was softly playing
and you felt as though you had entered another world. Tonight,
we all had a farewell dinner at Hamdi, a lovely restaurant
overlooking the city.
I told the waiter, “Chock ne fris,” which means
“delicious” in Turkish, and he grinned from
ear to ear.
Barbara and I left the hotel
on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus (the beautiful body
of water that divides the city in two parts) and taxied
to the European side, to the Marmara Hotel.
Since bottled water is quite
expensive in the hotels, we stocked up, buying six bottles
at a little supermarket where they were only $2 a bottle.
We arrived at the Marmara
in our well-worn, rather dusty clothes, toting the six sloshing
water bottles. To our surprise, we were ushered to the top
floor and a room with a panoramic view of the city. We were
informed that the private club down the hall would serve
us breakfast and provide tea and cakes at any time during
the day.
Astounded but delighted,
we tried to look as though we were perfectly accustomed
to this type of accommodation and service. I later learned
that John Weinstein of Adler Travel, who always handles
my travel arrangements, had mentioned to the hotel that
I was a journalist. They probably thought I was doing a
feature article for a magazine or perhaps a book on Turkey
when they gave us the upgrade, but I am now spoiled forever.
The few days on our own flew
by with a visit to the Archaeological Museum, which has
a collection that rivals the Greek and Roman section of
New York’s Metropolitan Museum. We also toured Dolmabahce
Palace, an immense opulent structure, fashioned after the
Palace of Versailles in France with more crystal chandeliers
and gold leaf, mirrors and gilt than I ever hope to see
again.
Situated with a magnificent
view of the Bosphorous, this summer residence for the Sultan
took 13 years to build at a cost in today’s dollars
of $500 million. We now felt sufficiently acclimated to
take the local streetcar, take in a Miro exhibit at a small
local museum and visit the huge Grand Bazaar, an amazing
conglomeration of 5,000 shops covered by a painted, dome
ceiling.
There are gold and diamonds
that dazzle the eye, foods and spices, rugs and brassware
and tacky souvenirs. The immensity of the place and the
selection it offers is both seductive and overwhelming.
Shopkeepers call out to you as you walk the labyrinth of
streets, and it is easy to get lost. We bargained hard for
a few last-minute purchases and reluctantly headed back
to the hotel, not quite ready to leave this fascinating
metropolis of 11 million people. We would experience for
the last time, that evening, the five-times-a-day, call
to prayer, heard throughout the city. Our alarm was set
for 4:45 a.m. and an early flight home.
Jean Cherni
is founder of Senior Living Solutions, a retirement advisory
service. Contact her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or
15 The Ponds, Branford 06405.
H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
is a full-service real estate company with more than 100
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