S/V Aphrodite

Location of Istanbul on the Bosphorus Strait, Turkey

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Click the play button to hear the Turkish call to prayer.

Every great city has a story, and Istanbul has hers. Her history and exquisite legacy is told through her architecture, which in Old Istanbul is all encompassing. Her skyline is voluptuous with multi-layered dome topped mosques, many of which are converted Byzantine churches with skyward reaching minarets added. At night the city becomes mystical with all of the mosques, fountains and major monuments illuminated and the muezzin booming out from the mosques. Settled originally by a Greek colonist named Byzas, Istanbul has changed names 3 times, from Byzantium, to Constantinople, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine and finally Istanbul following the conquest of the Ottoman sultan Mehmet II. Each culture has left its mark on this great city. She may not be as bejeweled or magnificent as she was before the sacking and pillaging of the 4th Crusaders, but she is still a Grand Dam.

We just returned from a whirlwind trip to Istanbul. When we left Tunisia Istanbul had just received a foot of snow so we didn’t know what to expect. But, thankfully, the sun came out, warming the city giving us 5 beautiful days to explore. My absolute favorite experience was while sitting on a park bench set between two majestic landmarks – the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia – as the Call To Prayer began. One muezzin started and then paused while the other started. This back and forth melodic exchange continued for several minutes and was quite moving. I can only guess at the comfort derived from this ritual which is performed 5 times a day.  Old Istanbul is set up in the Ancient Roman style with the Hippodrome, similar to the Roman Forum, as the center of life: culture, politics, trade, entertainment and residence for the elite. The city grew around this site, with most of its major sights within very close proximity giving an impressive feeling of intimacy. So, for 5 days, we walked and walked, ate kabobs with yogurt sauce, imagined what it would be like to be a part of the sultan’s family and live in a Harem, tried Turkish coffee, Turkish delight and baklava, wandered through the labyrinthine of the chaotic Grand Bazaar and looked at and learned about Turkish rugs. I absolutely love rugs, Turkish, Persian, Oriental. To me they are floor art and I would have lots more if I had a place to have them. We did buy several small ones which will adorn floors in our future house The following slide show will give you a brief look at Istanbul: