The grey blue roof of the Blue Mosque blended in with the early morning sky – it was a lovely sight to behold. Cousin R and I had arrived in the early hours, after the morning call to prayer has sounded but before the city’s tourist heartbeat began in earnest. Cafe workers were industriously setting up for the day, fetching loaves of freshly baked bread from local bakers. The city was quiet and still. I was sorry to disrupt it with the grate of the wheels of my suitcase on the cobblestones, on which a particularly welcoming Istanbul bird had just left a generous deposit – I was told it was surely a lucky sign.
We marvelled at the alluring sight of neatly stacked Turkish delight and baklava in an endless parade of tearooms. The red colouring signifying rosewater or raspberry flavours, dotted with freshly roasted nuts (pistachios being a firm favourite), with more exotic chocolate and marshmallow confections also on offer.
We tried freshly squeezed local pomegranate juice – a lovely ruby red colour, with a refreshing tart flavour but with a somewhat astringent after-taste.
The Hagia Sofia is one of those religious building that have done ecumenical national service as far as buildings go. It was built as an Orthdox basilica, adapted to be used as a mosque, and is now open to the public as a museum. My favourite part was the dome, which vaulted over the vast space gracefully, help up seamlessly using hidden supports. Soft light entered through the many windows, illuminating the gold lustre of the paint inside that had been dulled by time. The worn colours appealed to me more than the flashy gold medallions bearing the names of Allah, Muhammad and caliphs.
Dome, Hagia Sofia
Dome, Hagia Sofia
Blue Mosque
I have always loved Ottoman architecture. It seems to me to combine the intricate craftsmanship and beauty of delicately painted domes, tiles and stained glass, the mathematical precision of tessellating geometric designs, and the clever or wise simplicity of minimally filled spaces (rooms, courtyards) left empty to provide physical and intellectual repose and contemplation.
Library, Topkapi Palace
Ferry to Kadikoy
On our last day, we took two invigorating ferry rides across the Bosphorus strait which forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. On the first, we watched this old man feeding the sea gulls who followed the ferry for quite some time. On the second, we were lucky enough to see a school of dolphins passing, leaping in smooth arcs in and out of the water, their smooth grey flesh glistening in the sun. What a wonderful way to end the trip.
The Getting of Wisdom 