Back in Istanbul

Returning to Istanbul from our week-long tour around parts of Turkey, we visited iconic mosques and went below ground to the Basilica Cistern.

Nance & Sande had been here before, so we set off with cousin Doug and his wife Chris to visit the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, familiarly known as the Blue Mosque, was constructed between 1609 and 1617. The walls inside are decorated with beautiful blue tiles in an array of patterns reminiscent to us of Turkish carpets. We arrived fairly early and it wasn’t too crowded to wander around with our audioguides and absorb the ambiance and the architecture.

Taking a cafe break, we each got our beverage of choice, and shared a warm drink called sahlep. It is prepared with milk and a flour made from the tubers of orchids, a little sugar and lots of fresh cinnamon—delicious!

Hagia Sophia is much older, originally built as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral in 537 AD. Over time, it has served as a Catholic cathedral, an Ottoman mosque, a museum, and since 2020, an active mosque. The site was a bit disappointing because it is undergoing significant renovation, requiring a great deal of scaffolding inside and out. We were able to walk the upper gallery and view most of the features, though somewhat obscured. The restoration is focused on earthquake strengthening and repairing the six minarets. The effort could take up to 10 years.

We found a nice outdoor lunch spot and shared chicken dőner wraps, dolmas and hummus. Back at the Airbnb apartment we’re all sharing, we met Nance and Sande after their walking tour and set out together for the Basilica Cistern. It is the largest of many cisterns in the city, constructed in 532 AD to supply fresh water to the Palace of Constantinople.

The end of day found us enjoying a rooftop dinner overlooking the Bosphorus to celebrate Nance’s birthday.Read more