Summer 2012 - The Turkish Adventure Begins

Can you give us more detailed updates on the this trip? Why are you traveling with children this young? What actually do you do with them on these trips? These and similar questions we hope to answer on this blog.

Last year, we had difficulty posting updates and pictures from our trip to Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco. Even after we sent links to the pictures, some friends were unable to open them.To make it easier to keep family and friends updates on our travels, this blog was born. We hope to keep you updated regularly, and answer questions about this trip.

Meeting Ugo's Uncle and Aunt

The flight was uneventful, except that we flew with Ugo's uncle and his wife on our flight to France. Pure luck! On their way to Nigeria, they were routed through Minneapolis, where we boarded. I had never met them before; the kids had never, either. Even Ugo had not seen them in more than 10 years. So, this was a joyful meeting and reunion for all.

First Full Day in Istanbul

This is a fascinating and complex city. It is one of top 3 most populated cities in the world, with about 13 million inhabitants.  The country is an Islamic republic, but the city is very secular, yet with mosques dotting the landscape. Ladies in very short mini skirts, walking next to those in hijabs; beers and liquor abundantly available from liquor and grocery stores; grocery store with bacon; pet dogs running around; call to prayers every few hours while young couples are kissing and cuddling by the corner.

This city has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years. It served as the capital of the Byzantines and Ottoman empires. Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to this city, and it was called Constantinople--city of Constantine.  In 395, the Empire was divided into two, with Rome being the capital of the western half and the eastern (Byzantine) half  centered in Constantinople. It was not until 1453 that Sultan Mehmet II captured the city and renamed it Istanbul--city of Islam, thus marking the beginning of an era.

For our first day, one key thing that confused us was how Istanbullus love children and go out to their way to show it. Adults would come and ask for permission to take pictures with one of the children; another would ask permission to have their kid take picture with our children; another would take picture of our children playing with one another; yet another will pull on our kids cheeks, pat their head. For someone traveling from the United States where you guard your children like a hawk, it was quite disorienting.  A carpet salesman (another ubiquitous species) said it was the "Obama Effect".

Sites Visited

We made it to the Haghia Sophia and the Blue Mosques. The Haghia Sophia is the most amazing structure with incredible history. Built in 537 as a Christian Church by Justinian and was the biggest Church in the world for more than 900 years. When the Ottoman conqured the place they used it as a Mosque until the 19th century when Aturtuk decided to covert it to a museum. For details about this masterpiece, click here.   We also went into the museleum where some Sultans were buried. Very strange.

Below are some pictures from inside the Haghia Sophia:
 

The kids in front of the Haghia Sophia

We later went to the Blue Mosque.

Completed in 1616, it became on of the most celebrated mosques in the world. Only this Mosque and the one in Saudi Arabia have 6 Minarets. it has more than 20,000 blue tiles, hence the name.  The delicate and intricate details reminded us of Alhambra, in Granada Spain. As is customary, we all had to remove our shoes, (stinky feet, anyone!) and they gave Ugo blue fabric to cover her shoulders.

Inside the Blue Mosque:

We took the light rail to  Taskim Square where we strolled around; went to Turkcell office, where I had forgotten my passport yesterday, to pick it up; bought corn on the cub, sat around the square, watch some teenage girls with Justin Bieber fever, etc.

Taskim Square: