Dreaming International: Turkey

On the way back from South Africa, I joined the Legacy of Lombardo Travelers in Istanbul for one last week of international travel. Living up the legacy, when I took the bus into the city and made my way to their hotel room, both were still in bed sleeping. Overall it was an incredible trip, one of the best, made special by the company of my dad and grandma.

Assume photo credits to my gorgeous grandma for all photos of me.

First thing that morning we visited Topkapi Palace, including its terraces, gardens, libraries, baths, and harem quarters.

The stunning Topkapi Palace

Fun fact: the word for the animal turkey in Turkish is hindi.

The one and only Hagia Sophia (the pink building up front is the incredibly beautiful restored bathhouse we bathed in)

The bathhouse entrance for the men's side (the women's entrance was around the back); it was surreal being bathed and massaged by attendants there

Interior of a bathhouse no longer in use; the one we went to was EVEN more beautiful

View of the Blue Mosque from Hagia Sophia

Men washing their feet outside a mosque

Inside Hagia Sophia

A concealed library inside Hagia Sophia

Top floor of Hagia Sophia

I loved the city of Istanbul because

1) it is beautiful (the most stunning architecture of anywhere I’ve been),

2) it is metropolitan (people from all over, in European dress or burqas),

3) it has extremely convenient public transportation (to name one example, the tram went right by our hotel in the middle of the old city).

We took the barge to visit both continents straddled by the city. In fact the Asian side is actually more liberal, younger, and more modern.

Interior of a random mosque that turned out NOT to be the historical one for which we were wandering the neighborhood

Tremendous gold mosaic in Chora Church (Kariye Museum)

Traditional tea served in tulip-shaped glasses that everyone drinks on the street

Teatime in the hotel

Typical nightlife in the old city in Istanbul

My least favorite aspects of Turkey:

Although the food is super healthy, especially if one isn’t eating all the meat as a vegetarian, there is not much variety. Barely any restaurants serve any cuisine besides Turkish. Turkish people generally think their own food is far superior anyway!
As one travels further away from Istanbul into more provincial areas, the burqas begin to outnumber the crop tops, as people are more religious. There is a growing conservative faction in the country.

Prayer area separated from tourist area; every woman has to wear hijab in the mosques

Süleymaniye Mosque

Compare and contrast the below photos of the Grand Bazaar; what a RIOTOUS time my grandma and I had bargaining our little booties off versus what a PAINED time my dad had trying to navigate us out of there as quickly as possible.