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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    Dia 15

    Basilica Cistern

    13 de outubro de 2023, Turquia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in Istanbul, it was constructed using 336 columns, many of which were salvaged from ruined temples and feature fine carved capitals. Its symmetry and sheer grandeur of conception are quite breathtaking, and its cavernous depths make a great retreat on summer days.

    Like most sites in Istanbul, the cistern has an unusual history. It was originally known as the Basilica Cistern because it lay underneath the Stoa Basilica, one of the great squares on the first hill. Designed to service the Great Palace and surrounding buildings, it was able to store up to 80,000 cu metres of water delivered via 20km of aqueducts from a reservoir near the Black Sea, but was closed when the Byzantine emperors relocated from the Great Palace. Forgotten by the city authorities some time before the Conquest, it wasn't rediscovered until 1545, when scholar Petrus Gyllius was researching Byzantine antiquities in the city and was told by local residents that they were able to obtain water by lowering buckets into a dark space below their basement floors. Some were even catching fish this way. Intrigued, Gyllius explored the neighbourhood and finally accessed the cistern through one of the basements. Even after his discovery, the Ottomans (who referred to the cistern as Yerebatan Saray) didn't treat the so-called Underground Palace with the respect it deserved – it became a dumping ground for all sorts of junk, as well as corpses.

    The cistern was cleaned and renovated in 1985 by the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and opened to the public in 1987. It's now one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Walking along its raised wooden platforms, you'll feel water dripping from the vaulted ceiling and see schools of ghostly carp patrolling the water – it certainly has bucketloads of atmosphere

    Medusa heads - one on it's side, one upside down so they don't turn you to stone 🪨.

    Lights change colour for a bit of interest.    Leia mais

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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    1
    Dia 15

    Full day walking tour of Istanbul

    13 de outubro de 2023, Turquia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    8am start, 5 pm finish.
    Guide, 1 Chinese man, a couple from Netherlands and us. Nice small group.

    We start at Topkapi Palace. We just beat the queues.
    Then to the Hippodrome of Constantinople which is what I was calling Sultanahmet Square, next door to our hotel.

    Hippodrome of Constantinople, located in Sultanahmet/Istanbul, was a public arena mainly for chariot races. The word hippodrome comes from the Greek hippos (horse) and dromos (way). The Hippodrome of Constantinople was also home to gladiatorial games, official ceremonies, celebrations, protests, torture to the convicts and so on. Hippodrome functioned all in Roman (203-330 CE), Byzantine (330-1453 CE), and Ottoman (1453-1922) periods.

    When Roman Emperor Septimius Severus conquered ancient Constantinople named Byzantion in 203 CE, he named the city as Augusta Antonina and built many structures. Hippodrome was one of the significant structures built by Severus. However, the first Hippodrome was a small one. In 330 CE, one of the first things that Constantine I rebuilt was the Hippodrome. He enlarged the hippodrome and connected it to the Great Palace of Constantinople that today lies underneath the Blue Mosque. Today the foundations of the Great Palace of Constantinople can be seen at the Museum of the Great Palace Mosaics. 

    The capacity of the hippodrome was approximately 40,000 and it was free and open to male members of the community. At least eight different games could be held throughout the day and it was also used as a symbol of power for the empire. The hippodrome was decorated with monuments that were brought in from across the empire including the Serpent Column (Yılanlı Sütun) from Delphi and Obelisk of Thutmosis III (Obelisk of Theodosius) from Egypt. With these landmarks and monuments -brought from all around the world- the Byzantine Empire was proudly showing its strength and thousands of kilometers long territory ruled by them.
    The Hippodrome was also used by the Ottomans as well and they named it At Meydanı (Horse Square), yet they simply used it as a square. Today, the area is known as Sultanahmet Square and it follows the ground plan and dimensions of the hippodrome.

    Amazing facts about the Hippodrome of Constantinople

    In 390 CE, Byzantine emperor Theodosius I brought the Obelisk of Thutmosis III from Karnak (Southern Egypt) to Constantinople, erected it inside the hippodrome and named it “Obelisk of Theodosius” (Dikilitaş in Turkish). It is one of the twenty-nine Egyptian obelisks in the world. Despite its approx. 3500 years old age, the obelisk is in very good condition.

    During the Nika Riots in 532 CE, Byzantine emperor Justinian I ordered the killing of 30,000 people locked in the Hippodrome of Constantinople. They were protesting against him.

    During the Byzantine period, the Hippodrome was the centre of the Constantinopolitans’ everyday life. Huge amounts were bet on chariot races, and there were four teams that took part in these races, each one financially sponsored and supported by a different political party (Deme) within the Byzantine Senate: The Blues (Venetoi), the Greens (Prasinoi), the Reds (Rousioi) and the Whites (Leukoi).

    Then on to the Basilica Cistern, the ex- underground water system which now also houses sculpture exhibitions.

    We walk back streets to find lunch with our guide.

    Then to Hagia Sophia Mosque and the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque closes to visitors, only open to people who are there to pray but we can go into the courtyard and peek through the windows.

    After that we head to the Grand Bazaar where we are promised some shopping time. We just walk straight through. As we're all pretty tired by then so I don't think any of us minded. We can go back another day ( but not Sunday, it's closed)

    Big day so we go back to the hotel for an hour then go out for tea, a night walk and then bed.    Leia mais

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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    1
    1111
    Dia 14

    Turkish bath

    12 de outubro de 2023, Turquia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Didn't do much today. Made our way to a Turkish Bath Hammam where we both had a 1 hour oil massage with face mask, followed by a sauna then into the Hammam for a wash down and then a bubble massage. We even had our hair washed with shampoo by the girls to get oils and face mask out.

    Even though it was a Turkish bath, we're pretty sure the girls were Thai. They didn't look Turkish and the massage was a good Thai-style massage. It was very good. Steve enjoyed the whole experience too.

    Then we went to an authentic restaurant called The Must, for lunch, about 2 pm by then. Very Turkish decor, wait people dressed traditionally.
    There were plush cushions around low tables or normal table and chairs. The walls were open and there were 2 ladies in the front making the pastry for the gozleme. It was a good atmosphere.
    I had a lovely salad and Steve had some gozleme.
    Then we shared a baklava and a Turkish coffee.

    A bit of an explore on the way back to hotel HaciBacram. Read books and I actually fell asleep. A nice relaxing day.    Leia mais

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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    12
    Dia 13

    Turkey Adventure

    11 de outubro de 2023, Turquia ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Flew from Bucharest to Istanbul. Only 1 1/2 hour flight.
    We have booked a ride to the hotel through the hotel driver. Due to traffic 🚦 we take a good hour or more meandering through streets to "avoid traffic" which was fine as the price was fixed and we got to see a bit of the Old Town and the traffic mayhem here .

    We check in and the boss man gives us a rundown of the area, what tours are good ones, etc.

    The call to prayer reminds me of Morrocco.

    We settle in and Steve sleeps all afternoon. The hunting has stuffed his body clock as they basically hunt at night.

    When Steve wakes we go for a walk around Old Town streets close to us.
    We get "conned", with our permission 😊, to "quick watch the sunset on the terrace" restaurant. It's time for tea so we say yes. View was spectacular, food was awesome.

    We like this place.    Leia mais

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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    Dia 12

    In the air

    10 de outubro de 2023, Romênia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Back to Bucharest today. Steve and I are both flying with Tarom from our respective cities and get in about the same time.
    We walk 5 minutes to our airport hotel and chill out.

    I can't believe it!! The tea and coffee service in the room has black teabags and milk!! Elsewhere, the tea is generally herbal and no milk. One time I tried to buy milk but got yoghurt instead 😞 so continued with the black teas.Leia mais

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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    Dia 11

    Wave to Ukraine

    9 de outubro de 2023, Romênia ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    We start heading back to Cluj but we must see another wooden church rebuilt , the famous Merry Cemetery and a monastery of wooden churches that houses nuns built in 1977(?)

    Will elaborate later

    Home at 7.30pm. Check in back at Hotel Transylvania. A more basic but still very nice room this time.Leia mais

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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    1
    Dia 11

    The Merry Cemetery

    9 de outubro de 2023, Romênia ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    The Merry Cemetery is a cemetery in the village of Săpânța, Maramureș County, Romania. It is famous for its brightly coloured tombstones with naïve paintings describing, in a poetic and humourous manner, the people who are buried there in addition to scenes from their lives. The Merry Cemetery became an open-air museum and a national tourist attraction. It has been listed as one of the Seven Wonders of Romania.

    The cemetery's origins are linked with the name of Stan Ioan Pătraș, a local artist who sculpted the first tombstone crosses. In 1935, Pătraș carved the first epitaph after being at a funeral and hearing what people were saying about the deceased. He was amused and wrote a poem as the epitaph. As of the 1960s, more than 800 such oak wood crosses have been added and still are being added.

    This seems to be the most famous and loved....
    Under this heavy cross
    Lies my poor mother-in-law
    Three more days should she have lived
    I would lie, and she would read (this cross).
    You, who here are passing by
    Not to wake her up please try
    Cause' if she comes back home
    She'll scold me more.
    But I will surely behave
    So she'll not return from grave.
    Stay here, my dear mother-in-law!    Leia mais

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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    Dia 11

    A visit to Maria the weaver

    9 de outubro de 2023, Romênia ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    We visited Maria on our village ramble.
    She has been weaving since around age 13 and is now in her 70's.
    She was very pleased to show me how she weaves. She also insisted she show me her house - guest room, passage and main room. It was very colourful and full of traditional Romanian decoration and articles.

    She wanted to dress me in traditional Maramures dress so I let her, she had such joy doing it. I wore a blouse, skirt and head scarf. Apparently it's a wedding outfit. She tut-tutted I was so tall I had to bend in half so she could put my scarf on.
    She couldn't speak English, I couldn't speak Romanian so of course Florin interpreted.
    Maria also said she thought she saw me in the village the other day 😮

    We then went across the yard to a small hut that I guess is her bedroom and bathroom. Her stove heats this small room well. She takes us there to show me how she spins her wool on a spindle. It was similar to how the Moroccan women did it. Her thread is very strong. When I tried it broke and she said I was not ready to marry!!

    She was a delightful lady and I feel privileged she wanted to share her way of life with me.    Leia mais

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  • ViajanteRomania and Istanbul
    Dia 11

    Vasile, the village chronicler

    9 de outubro de 2023, Romênia ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    As we do our village walk Florin tells me about an elderly man who is the village chronicler, he collects all sorts of information, documents and takes photos. Next thing I know we're outside a house and Florin says "Let's go see if he's home".

    So we knock on his door, it's still a bit early and catch him with his teeth out😂.
    Once we let him put his teeth in all is good.

    His small house is cluttered and looks a mess but it it's clean and he knows where everything is.
    His walls are lined with photos he's taken.

    He is having trouble with his phone, apparently he needs to put in a new SIM card but has no idea how to do it. He asks Florin to do it. They need a pin thing that inserts in the hole to pop the simcard holder out. As chance would have it, I carry one in my phone case, so hey presto, his phone gets fixed!

    He loves receiving guests and taking photos of them. He asks me, via Florin, if he could take my photo and put on his Facebook page that a beautiful Australian came to visit 😂. Of course, I said yes. Within minutes, the post was up. Not bad for 74!

    He also writes poetry and obviously loves to promote the Maramures way if his Facebook page is anything to go by.
    He says he thought he saw me in the village the other day but it must have been someone who looks like me 😉

    We say goodbye with one of his lovely fresh apples off his tree.    Leia mais

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