Was a bit better prepared for the full burka barrage known in other realms as a "tourist bus" had on capris and a shirt with short sleeves, so think I downgraded from whore of Babylon to slut in training...can someone please explain to me why, when, and how one gender deemed itself more human and somehow more important than the other? What a frigging crock of crap, and yet there are many who still eat from the dung pile with pride...from both genders....we aren't even to the subject of skin tone yet. Last I checked every Holy book out there took judgment out of human hands..ummm, stillllllll waiting. Odd to me, to see the bond shared by the pain of the war, yet judgment and sheer disgusted loathing still pervades toward all women....the modernization of the world as a whole, is noticeable in the younger generations...on the coastal cities anyway. Made me very grateful to be born an American woman. Back to the bus...we went to: (more on each after) the blue mosque, Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) the hippodrome, lunch, little haga Sophia, the grand bazaar and the palace of Topkapi (and that's the official part of the day, oh yes, there is more) you could spend a day plus at either the bazar or palace alone. Istanbul is an amazing city, full of history. Would strongly advise women to travel with others. Now a bit about the things we saw. The blue mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet I to outshine the Hagia Sophia. The word for gold (altin) and six (alti) are similar in the Turkish language, so instead of getting gold minarets (call to prayer tower) he got 6 towers that matched the mosque. Thankfully the sultan was pleased and the builder (unlike his predecessor) kept his head. The name derives from the +20,000 ceramic tiles that decorate the interior. Blue gold and white in color. All mosques are "mini communities" of sorts, having a kitchen to feed the needy, a school, a shopping area (to support the kitchen/school) and a burial ground. Sultan Ahmet and his family, are on the grounds of the blue mosque. Across the way is the Hagia Sophia, meaning "Holy Wisdom" in Greek (Aya Sofya in Turkish) was built by Justinian the Great in the Byzantine era to establish (then Constantinople) as the most powerful city, and he as the richest most powerful leader. (sounds a bit familiar, eh?) he was successful. The dome and church remained the largest until St. Peter's basilica was built in Rome (the Vatican) anyone want to lay bets that St. Peter's was built to: a) prove the center of Christianity was now in Rome, and b) double bonus points if it was built smack over and with bits of a temple to Apollo...but sure, religion has nothing to do with politics...right. (King Henry VIII: divorce, Episcopalians...puritans scandalized, America created...) anywho, I'll have the answer (if you're not interested in using the google finger, as the Vatican tickets have been purchased) when the Koran became the holy book oh choice for Turkey, the Sophia was converted to a mosque...least they didn't fully demolish it... I guess. The frescos, statues, and mosaics (many of them blinged out in gold) were covered up, destroyed, or, to put it kindly "repurposed." To end the bickering between the religions, it's now a museum....wonder if this strategy would work with the holy land? Make it like DC, an independent area belonging to no one and everyone...yeah right, who am I kidding, first let's get to a place where boobs are equal to balls. Out the door from the Sophia is the hippodrome coming from the Greek: hippos=horse dromos=path or way (modeled after Circus Maximus in Roma) this was the meeting place of the city, beheadings, horse racing, politics...all at the hippodrome. From here we had a yumalicious Turkish lunch. (salad, humus, kebab, watermelon, and coffee) we then visited the little Hagia Sophia, built as a prototype for the larger building and converted to a mosque that's still in use today. Grand Bazar time....for my haggling friends, this is your dream come true. Much like the Vatican, the bazar operates as it's own entity (minus the status of self governing) there are 27 gates, a police force, mosque, post office, and every trinket you can dream of...I was overwhelmed, my shopping gene still lays dormant. From here we went to the palace of Topkapi, was a bit disconcerting, armed with machine guns guards were everywhere. Sigh of relief when we were told this was due to a large portion of the treasury (including an 86karat diamond, yes, really...and it was once a ring...no I'm not clear on how that worked either..) the place is HUGE, gorgeous, amazing. Each gate becomes more private, once past the 3rd gate as this is where issues of the empire were discussed to work there you must be a mute...if you weren't, and wanted the "privilege" well, let's just say "wish granted" all sultans had to know sign language to communicate with servants. There's much more to describe, and I've not even gotten to our evening, so should you want to know more (you do, I promise) link below! From here, mom and I walked back to the hotel...no CLUE we we were so central, thank you Mamko! Met up with our tour guide Ilker for an amazing dinner. Walked around the new city...they had up Christmas lights, color me amused. Went to a hubbly bubbly bar under the bridge, oh yes, mumsie partook as well! Then off to club reina, gorgeous, on the water, views of the straight and a bridge, no roof. Home as the sun came up.
http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Sights/index.html
Quotes:
"We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race." -Kofi Annan
"The connection between women's human rights, gender equality, socioeconomic development and peace is increasingly apparent." -Mahnaz Afkhami
"The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race."- Susan B. Anthony
