1001 Nights
Door: Claudia
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Claudia
25 Maart 2007 | Turkije, Istanbul
Sunday, 18 March
Yes, I made it in time for breakfast. I missed out 2 breakfasts already because I slept all morning. Now I finally have my first Turkish breakfast: some bread, boiled egg, tomato, cucumber, olives, cheese and jan. Then it's of to the Blue Mosque. Not much time lost on that, because the most impressive thing about it is the outside and that I can see a few times a day, since my hostel is practically next door.
No, than Topkapi Palace. It takes me 3 hours to see that. It's a massive complex build in the time of the sultans. It contains large courtyards, kitchens, offices, living quarters and, the part that appeals to the imagination the most, the harem. I can't wait to see this mysterious place that I only know from the fairytales of 1001 nights. I'm quite excited when I pass the door that for a long time could only be passed by women and just one man, the sultan. Situated before that door are the living quarters of the black eunuchs (a few are on display, in case you wonder what a black man looks like). Behind the door we see the women's hamam (bathroom), the room for the sultans mother, the sultans bathroom (everything marble, floor, walls, bath. And I thought the bathroom I had in Zuidhorn was cold! But apparantly here they had a floorheating system) and the rooms for the 7 favourite wifes of the sultan. It's sounds rather romantic, a harem, but when I try to imagine actually living here, with just women and one man, your mother in law in the same building and the competition of try to become and stay one of the lucky seven......horrific!
Another freaky thing: Kafes or the Cage. To avoid having to kill his brothers when the sultan took the throne (as dictated by law) they invented the cage. Now, when the sultan died his oldest son would access the throne and put his brothers, together with deaf mutes and a harem of concubines, away. This would last until the sultan died. No need to explain that this did not improve the mental health of the princes. None the less, mad or not mad, they got to rule the empire when they finally came out. Obviously this led to political misrule and sometimes sexual excesses.
Last but not least I can say now that I've seen the fifth largest diamond in the world: the Spoonmaker's diamond.
Back at the hostel, Fabrice makes me a bit homesick to France when he plays a few French songs for me on his guitar. And I get to show off my Backgammon skills (a games played a lot here) to a few Dutch guys.
Monday, 19 March
Finally, I made a decision. This evening I will get on the overnight bus to Cappadocia. But what to do today?
I walk through the park, down to the river, thinking I get a ferry to get across. But once I get there, I decide I might as well just sit there and enjoy the view and the nice wheater (I heard it was snowing that day in Holland). When a çay-salesman (tea) comes by, my happiness is complete.
Feeling guitly about doing nothing again, I get up and go to the Basilica Cistern or sunken palace. An underground water basin (80.000 L of water), complete with fish, 336 columns supporting the roof and Medusa statues. Many times I came across this but never noticed it before. Then again, it is a underground basin !
I get a large late lunch of köfte (meatballs), salad, bread and rice pudding. Do some shopping for the ride and at 19.00h it's time to go. It takes 11 hours to get to Ürgüp.
Yes, I made it in time for breakfast. I missed out 2 breakfasts already because I slept all morning. Now I finally have my first Turkish breakfast: some bread, boiled egg, tomato, cucumber, olives, cheese and jan. Then it's of to the Blue Mosque. Not much time lost on that, because the most impressive thing about it is the outside and that I can see a few times a day, since my hostel is practically next door.
No, than Topkapi Palace. It takes me 3 hours to see that. It's a massive complex build in the time of the sultans. It contains large courtyards, kitchens, offices, living quarters and, the part that appeals to the imagination the most, the harem. I can't wait to see this mysterious place that I only know from the fairytales of 1001 nights. I'm quite excited when I pass the door that for a long time could only be passed by women and just one man, the sultan. Situated before that door are the living quarters of the black eunuchs (a few are on display, in case you wonder what a black man looks like). Behind the door we see the women's hamam (bathroom), the room for the sultans mother, the sultans bathroom (everything marble, floor, walls, bath. And I thought the bathroom I had in Zuidhorn was cold! But apparantly here they had a floorheating system) and the rooms for the 7 favourite wifes of the sultan. It's sounds rather romantic, a harem, but when I try to imagine actually living here, with just women and one man, your mother in law in the same building and the competition of try to become and stay one of the lucky seven......horrific!
Another freaky thing: Kafes or the Cage. To avoid having to kill his brothers when the sultan took the throne (as dictated by law) they invented the cage. Now, when the sultan died his oldest son would access the throne and put his brothers, together with deaf mutes and a harem of concubines, away. This would last until the sultan died. No need to explain that this did not improve the mental health of the princes. None the less, mad or not mad, they got to rule the empire when they finally came out. Obviously this led to political misrule and sometimes sexual excesses.
Last but not least I can say now that I've seen the fifth largest diamond in the world: the Spoonmaker's diamond.
Back at the hostel, Fabrice makes me a bit homesick to France when he plays a few French songs for me on his guitar. And I get to show off my Backgammon skills (a games played a lot here) to a few Dutch guys.
Monday, 19 March
Finally, I made a decision. This evening I will get on the overnight bus to Cappadocia. But what to do today?
I walk through the park, down to the river, thinking I get a ferry to get across. But once I get there, I decide I might as well just sit there and enjoy the view and the nice wheater (I heard it was snowing that day in Holland). When a çay-salesman (tea) comes by, my happiness is complete.
Feeling guitly about doing nothing again, I get up and go to the Basilica Cistern or sunken palace. An underground water basin (80.000 L of water), complete with fish, 336 columns supporting the roof and Medusa statues. Many times I came across this but never noticed it before. Then again, it is a underground basin !
I get a large late lunch of köfte (meatballs), salad, bread and rice pudding. Do some shopping for the ride and at 19.00h it's time to go. It takes 11 hours to get to Ürgüp.
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
