Old cameras at the hotel. Nothing special, Arca Swiss LF camera, and no exotics to nick.

Last night in Istanbul

11 September 2009:
Arrived back in Istanbul from Adana around 1600hrs today. From sunny Adana, I came back to a cloudy Istanbul. I have Kodachrome loaded in my Leica ready to shoot but it was never meant to be. By the time I got to the hotel, it was starting to drizzle a little, the sky grey as usual. News on the way indicated heavy flooding in parts of Istanbul, not in old town for sure. But I’m happy enough to have almost two weeks of sun, so this last day of less than perfect light is not going to be an issue.

On the last day I have here, it will be used to explore places I left out in the first few days. First off, to Eminonu docks to have a fish sandwich. I didn’t really miss this one earlier, if you recall, but the fish sandwich is so good here, I will need to have one last one before I leave. Recognised this time, the fish in question is Mackerel, so this is not for the people who hate fishy smell. It’s basically pan fried mackerel with salad in bread. Simple and good. Then its off by bus to Balat as I still have some more credit left in my transport key fob. Walking around and shooting the other side of the Golden Horn, this place looks a lot quieter than Eminonu or Sultanahmet. Right after, at Ayvansaray Iskelesi, a ferry took me back to Eminonu before sun was down. Originally I had plans to go back to Harem to take another set of sunset photos but cloud cover was so thick it was going from light to dark without the amber transition in the sky, so plan scrapped and decided to spend some time at Rustem Pasa Mosque.

On the way to Eminonu...

Bosphorus Car Ferry

No, not the fish sandwich I'm after...

Locals (I guess) looking at a passenger Bosphorus ferry, Galata tower in the far background...

Ayvansaray Ferry Terminal in Balat

Lone boat, Halic (Golden Horn) Bridge in the background. In Balat.

Ayvansaray Ferry Station waiting room

The ferries that ply the Golden horn arrive head-first and passengers board from the front tip.

One colour shot of the golden horn ferry interior... Obviously this is the open air part of the deck

View of old Istanbul from the golden horn ferry. I believe it is close to Balat in the foreground.

Fellow passengers.

And soon I'm back at Eminonu...

Dodgy pier-side cafe...

Rustem Pasa Mosque dome!

Along with plenty of old Iznik tiles in this mosque...

This mosque is just filled with beautiful Iznik quartz tiles...

But Rustem Pasa is also a fully working mosque...

But I believe high contrast scenes like this looks better with black and white film...

Exteriors of Rustem Pasa is equally mesmerizing.

At night the fish sandwich shops come alive. The kitchen is on the rocking boat on the right, and the patrons on the left on terra firma.

Yeni Mosque at Eminonu

Zenep Sultan Mosque not too far from Aya Sofia, at night of course.

And blue mosque in Sultanahmet Square

Hmmm... desserts

Kybele Hotel room

Hotel Lobby...

12 September 2009:

And on the last day, a trip to the Grand Bazaar in the center of town is in order. What a better thing to do than to visit the bazaar before it is really open and tourists visit. 7am is a good time. And just to make things interesting, today is exclusively film only. And here are the photos:

Istanbul's Grand Bazaar early in the morning...

... which features many of these squares in the maze of shops, I believe this is part of a caravanserai for the ancient merchants to rest...

... corridors, I really wish I remember where this was, but it is terribly easy to get lost...

... but no doubt I'm at the bazaar...

And not to be mistaken, some merchants do start early!

And a few more of downtown Sultanahmet before heading off to the airport…

I was so tired after two weeks I could have followed this guy.

On second thoughts, I wouldn't want to wake up to pigeon droppings...

And one last picture of the Blue Mosque before rewinding...

Goodbye Turkey, hello Singapore...

*The End*

Sabanci Merkez Mosque in Adana

I have been advised that there is nothing to see in Adana. I confess, the only reason I plan to stop by Adana is to catch a flight back to Istanbul, and to try out Adana Kebab at the source. Other cities may make the meanest Adana kebab, but I want to have it in Adana to strike another item off my to-do list. Adana also happens to have one of the most regular flights to Istanbul from this region. Being quite close to Antakya, I should be able to travel here and have enough of the day left to move around.

10 September 2009:
Spending most of this morning napping in the two and half hour bus from Antakya. It could have been faster if not for the bus stopping at every otogar along the way.

On the bus to Adana, with my small pack containing the usual accessories: GPS, audio recorder, blackberry, phone, etc

1338hrs: Been a long travelling day. Made the questionable decision to leave the otogar at Adana, go downtown and look for the hotel to drop my bag first before heading out for a day trip to nearby Tarsus.

Why Tarsus? Adana is a big city, in fact one of the biggest in this region. I don’t know if there’s a big attraction in Adana other than the big American air base at Incirlik. Tarsus is a historic town, at least historic enough for me to have heard of it, and sure as hell beats wandering around a city with more than a million inhabitants like Adana on a hot summer afternoon. The way from the Adana otogar to the city center is not too convenient. There is no free shuttle bus from my bus company, so I took a public transport instead, bus 117, and they happened to start a kilometer away from the place I wanted to stay. The noon sun was no making things too comfortable.

In Turkey, a statue of Ataturk seems to symbolize the center of the city and this is also where I found a small boutique hotel to drop my stuff. After a little asking around in simple english, catching bus 140 to the otogar, hoping to catch the Tarsus bus at the right time. While travelling, I try not to remain too idle waiting hours for a bus. However, taking a bus here is not that easy. The names on the front windscreen of the buses here are quite confusing. There seem to be just a couple of final destinations, from the looks of it. A surefire way to catch the right bus to the Otogar from the Centrum of Adana seems to be either bus 120 or 140. Strangely, public buses to the otogar seems to be always driven by women. The driver on the bus I took has heavy make-up and is quite presentable. Passengers are all staring at her when they get on the bus, so that means that this is an exception!

1409hrs: And we’re off in a minibus at the otogar bound for Tarsus. Strangely the driver’s attendant asked us to leave the van and walk 100m outside the otogar before we were supposed to leave and join the minibus outside. (ed: I would find out why later, I think they are trying to keep as much of the ticket fare for themselves!) And this guy drives faaast. 3.5TL for the fare. Bus is not full, myself, a lady and her daughter, and a mufti. And two backup drivers. This place is strange!

Downtown Tarsus

1454hrs: Drop off point in Tarsus is right next to Cleopatra’s gate. Confirmed by my GPS. This minibus goes all the way to Mersin if I got the message right. The return path is on the otherside of the Cleopatra’s gate, I presume as the bus returns from Mersin. Nothing cleopatra-y about this gate, just one of the gates forming the old city wall of Tarsus. The assumption is that since it is one of the major gates of old Tarsus, since Cleopatra came here (where she met Anthony), she must have passed through it. Part of it looks renovated but there is a little bit sticking out that still has some carving left. I’d say less than 10%.

Tarsus' Cleopatra Gate

1509hrs: At an excavated site next to the tourist information booth. The sign says old city, but what it is is a plot of land, with excavations 6m deep showing a section of an old Roman road. There are some base of buildings clearly shown besides the road, and on the slopes there are some columns peeking out of the dirt, quite obvious if you dig some more there will be more to be found. The tourist information booth marks the entrance and for once, it is free.

Excavated Roman Road

Cross section of the excavation border. Obviously quite a lot more of the road lies under modern Tarsus.

Right next to the old roas is St Paul’s well. I’m suspicious about it. Could have been anyone’s well. Even more suspicious if you consider that something more than 2000 years old has to be 6-8m or more below current ground level, and this one is right at ground level. Plus there are some building base left over, covered in glass top. Unless his house was the only one that happened to be found, I am a skeptic. And there is a gate charge of 3TL to go in. Was hesitant, rather spend the money on baklava at a local pastanesi, but maybe it is an order from heaven to eat less today. So I relented and donated 3TL to the Turkish tourism council. Here’s a tip for the scrooge in you, you don’t really need to pay the entrance fee to see the well, it is possible to see it from the gate, and going in just gives you the pleasure to peep into the glass covered floor, which is worth skipping.

St Paul's well, allegedly.

St Pauls Well: This is what I paid money to see?!?!?

There are a few other ruins around the town but they are all in bad shape. There’s the remains of a roman bath, but seriously only part of the wall is remaining. And there is a roman temple, but no one knew to which of the hundreds of Roman gods/goddesses it is dedicated too. I walked around town from one attraction to another in the hot sun.

I believe this is the ruins of a roman bath or something... couldn't possibly track them all.

Tarsus is a small town, big enough to have statues and a town hall, but has the feel of a small rural town. Stalls are selling red coloured Salgam all over the place. And lemonade. Apart for a roman highway about 20km out of Tarsus, the sights in the town can be covered in an hour or two, and then it is time to head back to Adana.

There is a small section of the town that reminds me of the houses in old Antakya, but not quite. The balconies are smaller and the road/alley is wider.

Backlane Tarsus

Tarsus has many old buildings with hanging balconies... just like Antakya.

Hanging balconies in colour

1616hrs: Done with this place, and on my way back to Adana, and hopefully grab a taste of the famous Adana kebab. Tarsus is possibly being my final adventure for this trip in Turkey as I will be heading back to Istanbul tomorrow morning.

Along the way back to Adana in the mini bus, we met with a police roadblock, and the bus attendant quickly whip out his receipt book and were busy scribbling some thing and gave it to everyone, then it occurs to me that they are supposed to issue receipts, possibly for tax reasons, and of the traffic police stops them, they will check that everyone has a receipt. So far, my 2 days of dolmus hopping, I have never received a receipt! Then it struck my mind that the guards manning the gates at the otogar probably either checks for receipt/tickets or charges a percentage commission, so on order to maximize profit, we were told to walk to the main road so that the dolmus could leave empty and circumvent whatever they rules or taxes were! Interesting. But the trip was cheap enough so I don’t complain and surely if there’s a way to keep costs low, I’d be all for it!

Adana's Otogar

Back to Adana, dinner was at a place close to the hotel as I’m not in the mood for more long walks. Again, started off with hummus and of course, adana kebab, how can I miss having it in Adana? The waiter brought 3 sets of side dish. First was the, now standard, fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Second, a plate of salad, as side so no topping. And third a plate of bread, pita style. First dish was an appetizer of pastries, one was the square pizza thingy I recognized from yesterday’s lunch with chilli flakes, and accompanied by pastry with melted goat cheese. Then not too long after, hummus came in a hot stone plate with cheese on top of it and ample olive oil. I finished it quickly as I didn’t have a proper lunch yet. Then the kebab came. Just a skewer of spiced and minced lamb, with some thin durum-like bread under and over it. That with grilled tomatoes and green chillis. Forgot another side dish, sliced shallots with chilli flakes and shredded parsley to go with the kebab. And finished it with a complimentary house cake oozing with honey. Drank a cup of cay at the end and ayran during the meal. If it sounded a portion and a half, that’s because it is. I’m typing this a few hours later and I’m still full from dinner! Again, will fast tomorrow!

Dinner: Hot plate hummus

Dinner: Adana Kebab

11 September 2009:
My last day in Adana and set the alarm to go off early. Was still dark so I went back to sleep till 7 am. Then it was time to pack the Leica M6 and take a walk to the roman stone bridge 1km away from here and see what the morning life is like. There are only mini buses or dolmus on the street, and some pedestrians. The area I live is close to fabric merchants and some shops are already open this early, but they make up less than 10% of all shops. The sunlight comes at an oblique angle, so on the way to the bridge eastwards, it was possible to shoot silhouetted shots and coming back properly exposed pictures, except for a little long shadows here and there.

Early Morning in Adana

On the way to Taskopru bridge

On the bridge with the Sabanci Mosque in the background...

I liked this view so much, I took quite a number of shots here...

Taskopru

Bicycles are common on the bridge...

Buses in downtown Adana

Town bus

Had a productive shooting session and managed to mmake it back for a turkish breakfast. After an hour packing and checking emails, time to go to the airport. Adana airport is small, 2 small buildings, one domestic and the other international. There is only 1 hall, both for checking and waiting. It’s one of those airports where the planes park just outside the waiting lounge and the idea is you walk up to the plane. Like a big house.

I didn’t spend too much time in Adana city center. Didn’t see anything worth looking at. So this is only a food trip, mainly. There are other towns near Adana with a lot more history or popularity. As usual, I don’t like big cities too much.

On the way to the airport...

What a way to end this post, if you're wondering what the Sabanci Mosque look like in glorious colour, here it is...

Continue to the last post…

*end*

Prayers at Hunat Mosque, Kayseri

Portrait of local bus drivers at Kayseri's Yogunburc Street station

After Cappadocia, in the interest of making use of whatever time I have here in Turkey, I thought it was not too smart to be spending the whole day travelling. So next to the region of Nevsehir, is a large city called Kayseri which I could get to in a few hours, and if I am lucky, I can catch an overnight bus to Antakya all the way down south.

7 September 2009:
Kayseri is also called Caesarea in ancient times before the arabs conquered it. I suppose this is the famous Caesarea that I have heard about. No idea what is there but no harm checking it out to know (Ed: Apparently it is not, there is another Caesarea in Israel). Most people I’ve spoken to in Cappadocia were amazed I was going there as it has nothing to see there.

Urgup to Kayseri

1100hrs: Right on the dot, the bus starts leaving Urgup’s otogar for Kayseri. Fare: 6TL. The next bus to Kayseri is in 2 hours after lunch so it is perfect that I’m here at this time. The bus indicates that it goes to Nevsehir but I was assured it goes where I thought it was going. Along the way out of Urgup it stops to pick up passengers, and soon it is full, about 30+ passengers as my quick estimate puts it. As it passes the local police station, a policeman comes on board to check, possibly visual profiling, but I, being the only asian looking person, was not checked in detail. And in less than 10 mins we are on the road into the Cappadocian desert, dodging the occasional farmer’s donkey and tractor carts that takes up a whole lane on the road. This highway has 2 lanes and bidirectional, and rather devoid of any vehicles, meaning that the bus driver could drive as fast as he wants. Landscape are craggy hills, valleys with poplar trees and farms. Seems like there are plenty of pumpkin farms around. My GPS registers our speed at less than 90kmph.

Kayseri Otogar Interiors

Loading up water on a hot day at the otogar...

Exterior of Kayseri Otogar

1216hrs: Arrived at Kayseri Otogar after an hour on the highway. The otogar is made up of a few buildings in the outskirts of Kayseri city and one of the building houses the ticket booths. Saw one with a midnight bus to Hatay/Antakya so I took a sleeping berth, so I think, for 40TL which is about the most expensive bus trip thus far, but it saves the hotel expense so, could be worth it. The girl at the counter thought I was Japanese again, and I learnt from her Turkish for ‘hello’ is ‘merhabah’ (similar to arabic I thinks) and ‘goodbye’ is ‘gule gule’ which I see a lot while driving in the Cappadocian countryside in the last 3 days. This otogar looks modern and has plenty of shops. I see left luggage service too, which I will use to deposit my bags till tonight, and make a trip to Kayseri’s merkezi (town centre)!

Little ticket booth to buy bus tickets before boarding...

I don’t remember which bus number I took, but the stopping point was at Ataturk Boulevard, indicated by the GPS on my phone. This city looks a little more modern compared to the Cappadocian tourist towns, and a short walk later I am at Kursunlu Mosque, a small little place overlooking a park with the statue of Mimar Sinan. After a little investigation later on, I realised that the architect’s birthplace is in Agirnas, not too far from Kayseri. However it is probably too difficult for me to walk Kayseri and also to visit this place.

Ataturk Boulevard, Kayseri

Small street downtown

Local residents having a chat on the street

The center of the city is characterized by a large Mimar Sinan Park. That is where the statue is located, and Kursunlu Mosque is on its southern perimeter. On the south east perimeter is a Hilton, one of the first I’ve seen this trip. And just in the park is a Madrasah whose name I seem to have forgetten, and did not manage to type down. On a hot day, a walk in the park in the shade is just something I need, but there are not too many trees here.

Kursunlu Mosque

Kursunlu Mosque: Central courtyard wash area

Kursunlu Mosque: Central courtyard

Mimar Sinan's statue at the park with his namesake

Madrasah in Mimar Sinan Park

1456hrs: Having late light lunch at a restaurant on the second floor overlooking the Kayseri Citadel and next to the tourist agency. Since it is ramadan season, I’m the only customer today. The time is not exactly lunchtime either. Having the Kayserian speciality, Pastirma, the original pastrami. The dish I ordered: cured bacon, cooked in paper/aluminium wrapping, tomato slices, lemon slice, and parsley. Goes with ekmek bread. Extremely good I tell you.

Lunch at Kayseri: Pastirma. Good stuff.

Kayseri's Cumhuriyet Meydani with Mount Erciyes in the horizon

Public water fountain at the Cumhuriyet Meydani (Republic Square?)

Sahamiye Madrasah

Mean bike. 'Nuff said.

1600hrs: 20 minutes before prayer time and I am at Hunat Hatun mosque. Seljuk architecture is a little flatter and does not have the massive domes a-la Aya Sofia. The entrances are the same with the high arch and double door and the half dome with stalagtites hanging off it, but the interiors are a lot less space-y compared to ottoman. This is because the massive domes in Ottoman Sinan-inspired mosques allow for large pillarless halls.

Hunat Hatun Mosque: Entrance to the Madrasah

Hunat Hatun Mosque: Mosque Entrance

Hunat Hatun Mosque: Mosque Entrance detail

Anyway, when entering the mosque, I was asked by the caretaker, an old man who speaks french, to freely take photos inside while a quran recital goes on. So we chatted a little bit in French before I asked for permission to have a portrait of him taken.

Hunat Hatun Mosque: Prayers

Hunat Hatun Mosque: Un portrait de la concierge

Hunat Hatun Mosque: Seljukian architecture are full of pillars and normally the central dome, like this one, does not take up the whole floor area.

Outside and across the main road from Hunat Mosque, I come across the main bazaar, almost as big as the one in Istanbul. Shops on the outside mostly sell spices, what looked like chilli powder and curry, and plenty of tomato paste. Other shops sell pastrami and other dried meat and sausages. Strangely Kayseri only. Other places don’t have this.

Kayseri's Grand Bazaar

Kayseri's Grand Bazaar in colour

Pastirma Shop just outside the Grand Bazaar

Between the bazaar and Ulu Mosque is Vezir Hani, a caravanserai in the city. This part of town looks older and my Leica M6 comes out to play here. And around the corner is the city’s citadel that forms the center of the city. The existing wall is what you expect a castle wall to look like. The inside of the citadel looks like a market, but I skipped the inside, preferring to have a look at the other mosques around this area.

Vezir Hani Caravanserai

Kayseri Citadel exteriors

Kayseri Citadel: Feeding the doves

1701hrs: Taking refuge inside Ulu Mosque, another with Seljuk styling and almost 900 years old. But in the courtyard where the water taps are, the bricks in the arches are Ottoman looking. According to the sign in front of the mosque, some of the pillars in this building is recycled from roman buildings around Kayseri. So here I am sitting inside the mosque after the 1620hr prayer time, checking out the architecture of this mosque. There is a stairs leading down from the entrance. Style of the interior is very much like Hunat Mosque earlier. What is apparently is that these Seljuk era buildings are less spacious and displaces less air as the ceilling is lower. As Ottoman domes are almost 10 storeys high, or higher, Seljuk ceillings and domes are less than half of that. Architecturally it looks like a box.

Ulu Mosque: Washing up

Ulu Mosque: Waiting outside the mosque

Ulu Mosque: Prayer in progress

Ulu Mosque: Interiors

1824hrs: Walking down Talas Caddesi and passed Alaca Tomb in the middle of the road. At the junction, turned right into Yogunburc Caddesi and came upon a small bus station with mini buses with a strange model Deustch. They all seem to go to Gultepe, and the drivers are friendly, in an intimidating way, but nothing preventing me to ask them for a portrait of friends in front of their money-earner.

Alaca Kumbet, in the middle of Seyyid Burhanettin Boulevard

Local mini buses at Yogunburc Caddesi

Mini Buses at Yogunburc Caddesi

Then it is a walk back Talas Caddesi past an old Ottoman house that is called Gupgupoglu Konagi and a house where Ataturk used to stay when he was in Kayseri. Neither were open when I was there as it is coming close to 7pm. Close to the citadel, I joined the citizens in waiting for the prayers to go off before breaking fast and eating. What most do is to order their fast food and just chat till the prayers start, then in a few minutess they are all out the door, a whole day waiting for this moment to eat. Of course I had a light lunch today, don’t think I could have gone through the day walking Kayseri while fasting.

As it was getting dark, would be a good idea to return to the otogar and wait for my midnight bus to Hatay. The Turkish map I loaded to my Nokia E71 is quite useful. I had the coordinates of the otogar locked this afternoon and all I have to do is to leave the phone close enough to the window and watch my red dot get closer to the otogar. 200m away I just press the bell. At the otogar, I tried out the internet cafe there. Cost 2TL for an hour and while the Turkish keyboard is QWERTY, the ‘i’ seems different. In the usual position is an ‘i’ with the dot missing. That caused me not to be able to get into some websites that required the conventional alphabetic ‘i’. Even after an hour of internet, there is still 2 hours to run, so time for some turkish tea, cay. I doubt 2 hours at the otogar could be eventful, so it should be time to sign off, here in the most islamic city after Konya, and coincidentally both with strong Seljukian influences.

Closing time at the Grand Bazaar

Night time at the Citadel

24hr Left luggage at Kayseri Otogar, strangely closed, but eventually realised that the operator had to go for supper. The guy in the picture was desperate for his bags as his bus was leaving very soon.

Contrary to what most people say, Kayseri is not too bad. Sure there is the occasional racist here, probably not used to seeing foreigners who don’t look like them. My ipod and sound isolating earbuds go on in crowded places so I can legitimately ignore them. The only english speaking guy tries to lure me into his shop, and you’ve guessed it, to look at carpets. Surprisingly, the friendliest people here ended up as a latent image on my Kodak Tri-X negatives for posterity. I get to practise my French with the caretaker of Hunat Camii, and the cured beef, Pastirma is surprisingly good. I don’t know if I will be back here again. Surely I have not finished yet, there’s Agirnas outside Kayseri, famous being the birthplace of the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, and best of all, there are houses there with his style of design. Too bad it is 30 km out of Kayseri and require nimble bus hoppery to get there, not impossible though. To guage how good this place is, I just wandered the city center and I went through a little more than a roll of film. The DSLR stays in the bag. I like Kayseri, in a special way. Bring the ignorance earplugs if you dont look local, and enjoy the city and revell in its Seljukian heritage and a lone Ottoman Sinan-designed mosque.

Tomorrow I will be in Hatay/Antakya, ancient name Antioch of the biblical fame, playground of St Paul.

Nothing better than a fully stocked dessert shop

Sunset in Kayseri

Continue to Antakya…

*end*

Early morning in Istanbul en route to the Otogar

Most tourists come to Edirne to see Selimiye Mosque, one of Mimar Sinan's prime creation

Edirne, in Thrace, is a city with plenty of history. In Edward Gibbon’s tome on the fall of the Roman Empire, this is where the Ottoman’s Mehmet II launched his attack that took over Constantinople around 1300AD. Historic place, which means I will need a GPS waypoint of this place.

2 September 2009:
It is an early morning for a daytrip to Edirne (Adrianople or Hadrianopolis), and the position of my new hotel allows me to take the first tram that passes Sultanahmet station on the way to the Otogar after a change of trains. Hope to grab my sleep later on the bus as the trip should take some time. If you recall, I booked this bus ticket in advance from the Istanbul Otogar on Monday and will be travelling with Ulusoy bus company on the 0800hrs bus. The trip should take around 2 hours. Left the hotel before 7am and at this time, Sultanahmet is totally dead. Nothing except sanitation workers sweeping up rubbish on the street from the night before. Lucky the tram starts moving at 6am. It looks like a blue sky day but I will be careful. Going with a small backpack with a spare lens, waterproof jacket and my all-important iPod. All cameras are coming along and I expect a long day of walking and aimless wandering in Edirne.

Local Edirne town bus

0715hrs: I have done this public transportation routine before. Tram to Metro station Aksaray and straight on to the Otogar from there. Just hoping to get there with enough time to have a light breakfast this morning. It’s always good to have a feel of the area before a tight schedule so that muscle memory takes over.

Nothing special here, boarded the bus like clockwork, and proceeded to the all important nap.

1106hrs: Arrived in Edirne. The bus stops at the Otogar outside the city. Right next to the bus is a smaller shuttle bus which brings the passengers to wherever you want to go in Edirne. This type of town planning makes sense, but what happens if the bus is full and the shuttle bus is just carrying a third of the capacity of a large coach bus?

Eventually this trip took more than 2 hours from Istanbul to Edirne. It seems that the buses here do not travel so fast, so a little more time is required from what was expected earlier.

The shuttle bus would bring us to the bus stop next to Selimiye Mosque. Once I got there, thought that a 7pm return bus ticket is in order right now, and is a good time to return so I bought tickets right then to make sure I have an aim at the end of today. This mosque is quite visibly the most elaborate one in Edirne, another of Mimar Sinan’s creation and the center of most tourist visits to this city I’m sure. I spend 30 minutes inside while shooting some macro closeups. The architecture of this mosque is unmistakably Ottoman in nature.

Selimiye Mosque: Minaret

Selimiye Mosque: Stairs up from the basement Bazaar to the mosque

Selimiye Mosque: Outer terrace

Selimiye Mosque: Accent detail

Selimiye Mosque: More detail shot

Selimiye Mosque: Outer terrace ceiling detail

Selimiye Mosque: More ceiling details

Selimiye Mosque: I like these lamps. I'm sure they're electric.

Selimiye Mosque: Even the door carvings are impressive

Selimiye Mosque: Main Entrance

Selimiye Mosque: Main dome details

Selimiye Mosque: Interior of the mosque

Edirne's Selimiye Mosque, one last picture to take us out...

1243hrs: Took me some time to find my orientation here in Edirne. The place is rural, but in an outpost kind of way. Lunchtime now at Altinsis Sarayi consisting of Beyti Kebap, Cay and salad portion. No meat it seems. Everywhere you go they ask if you want coke, fanta or one of those soft drinks. Tea for me. They grill stuff in wood and charcoal fire oven so it has to be good. No Ramadan here as far as I can see! I am supposed to fast today but since I didn’t have breakfast yet, I suppose I can compromise. Super hot day today and it’s noon now so time to cool down in the shops.

Bazaar just under Selimiye Mosque

Lunch: Beyti Kebap - yes, it was VERY heavy

The guys that made my lunch

This place is rural. Horse drawn carts are everywhere...

Edirne town center, close to Hurriyet Meydani

1400hrs: Right outside a town square, I find a tourist office and enquired how to get to the Sarayi palace complex. Was recommended to take a minibus for 1TL and I noticed on the map that it passes through Sultan Beyazid II complex as well, so why not make an unscheduled stop there.

The bus winds through a rural area where the scene looks more Balkans with horse pulled carts and cows on the street. And all of a sudden I stop at a big beautiful Ottoman building complex complete with domes and minarets. The first stop is a medical museum for 10TL. I didn’t plan to come here, but just so happen that the bus that I took passes by here. The plan is then to have a look at the complex and then walk back to the town center about 5km away in the hot sun, while going through a few other sights along the way.

Local bus

... I think I'm on the right track...

... like this tractor... pardon the pun

This complex is medium in size. Definitely very well kept and renovated. To the right of the entrance, where tickets are bought, is the mental asylum where they started to treat patients with soothing music and so on, unlike the western world at that time that treats mentally ill patients as being possessed by the devil and thus should be… tortured like in the movie Exorcist! There are all these exhibits here on the medicine and cure of its time and some of them are quite impressive, but not impressive enough for me to remember most of it once I leave the room! That says something about my capacity to remember nowadays. There is also an outpatient department, where the audio for the slideshow below was recorded, and the central water fountain is surrounded by consultation rooms. Patients would hang around outside the rooms and wait for their turn, not unlike what happens today when we visit the our general practitioner. This place is worth a visit,  even considering the dodgy bus ride outside the city in a clockwise loop.

Sultan Beyazid II Complex

Sultan Beyazid II Complex, outside Edirne

Sultan Beyazid II Complex: Interior courtyard

Sultan Beyazid II Complex: Mock scene showing doctors straightening a man's vertebrae, or something like that

1519hrs: After the medical museum, I walked eastwards past a dilapidated mosque that is being renovated. It is quite obviously part of the Beyazid II complex of buildings. Looks like the workmen are polishing up the stones that make up the exterior, and whatever they’re doing with it, the interiors are still open to the outside, and it is a fully functioning mosque.

Sultan Beyazid II Complex: Mosque under restoration

Sultan Beyazid II Complex: ... but the interiors are accessible and open for service

About 2 km further eastwards I arrive at the Edirne Palace after going pass a rural surrounding and old women in headscarves asking for money, at least that is what it sounded like with their palms outstretched. It was so hot they were not even willing to get out and walk for the money. Back at the Edirne Palace, I imagined that here before the conquest of Constantinople – this was the capital of the Ottoman empire where the Sultan stayed. Not much of the place is still standing, a ruined structure or two. I am now standing next to the entrance, in a shade, typing this out before spending some time imagining this place 700 years ago.

View of Selimiye in central Edirne from Sultan Beyazid II Complex

Simple graves along the roadside: Note the Turkish hats on the tomb stone, the shape of the hat denotes the rank of the deceased

Rural house

Old truck

Remains of Edirne Palace 1

Remains of Edirne Palace 2

Remains of Edirne Palace 3

Surrounding this area, there are ruins and at least one of them being restored as I walked pass. Close by is Kirkpinar Stadium, where once a year in Summer the oil wrestling tournament takes place, amidst farm animals wandering all over the place. Today the stadium is eerily quiet. Around the stadium there are metal statues of wrestling champions, I would guess. The temperature today is freaking hot. I wouldn’t say it is 40 Centigrade, but I think we are not too far from there. I have a few more km more to go according to my GPS. Direction back to the center of Edirne, hoping to pass Uc Serefeli Mosque, which is said to be the inspiration for the Selimiye mosque.

Kirkpinar Stadium

Tower of Justice, next to Kirkpinar Stadium

Kirkpinar Stadium: Home of Oil Wrestling. Just not today...

1605hrs: On my way back to Huriyet Meydani in the heart of Edirne. Still full from the mega lunch. Crossed the river along a stone bridge and I am now in a more urban area compared to the last posting. Taking refuge at Beylerbeyi Camii Mosque (1429AD). Mosques are a nice place to relax as it is generally quiet and cool in the hot sun. The only annoying thing here are the poor kids asking for money. Fine if they carry my 5kg of gear, but they will not get a cent from me and encouraging them to make begging a professional career. Everyone is always asking for something or selling something here. I rate this place as poor, wealthwise. Strange small mosque this one. Some poor kids chatting, a turk couple romancing outside the temple door with turkish music playing on their phone and 20m away a girl chats on her mobile and have been doing so for the last half hour.

Just a while after, I’m at Uc Serefeli Mosque, with each minarets different from the other. I’m not sure which is bigger between this one and Selimiye. The Uc Serefeli is definitely not a small building. Strange it does not show on most maps with its name. Not as famous as its newer brother I guess.

The four distinct minarets of Uc Serefeli Mosque

Uc Serefeli: Under renovation

Uc Serefeli: This worker is polishing the masonry

Uc Serefeli: Interior Courtyard

Uc Serefeli: Outer square, where the wash area is located

Uc Serefeli: Ceilling detail

Uc Serefeli: Minaret

Uc Serefeli: Minaret

1712hrs: Having dessert at a local Pastanesi at the town square and a box of Seftari Nectari, or what looks like a peach. No idea the dessert but they always seem to come in sets of 4. The one I chose is white in colour and seems to be made of nut, and damn nice as well. Cost only 2.5TL for a set plus the drink. Happy camper.

On the way back to the shuttle drop off point (it is now 1700hrs anyway), I pass by Huriyet Meydani, and stopped for a little dessert at a normal looking shop which they call a pastaleri, which I take to mean pastry. They don’t sell tea here which is very un-Turkish.

Edirne's Macedonian Tower: One of the last remnants of the old city wall

1745hrs: Right next to Huriyet Meydani is another mosque, Eski Camii, which translates to The Old Mosque. The architecture of this one is definitely different from the Sinan-era mosques. Instead of a large dome this one is made up of 3×3 smaller ones with 4 pillars arranged in a square inside the mosque. Very geometric in architecture, I’d guess that this is more Seljukian architectural style. Large arabic writing cover the lower wall before transitioning into red coloured blocks alternated with patterned blocks on the arches. The motifs on the dome is very different from the other mosques in the area. Very refreshing. And like other mosque, every donation comes with a receipt near the entrance. Makes for great souvenir, and at least the money is put to good use.

Edirne Old Mosque: Large calligraphic designs adorn the wall

Edirne Old Mosque: Interior

Edirne Old Mosque: A smaller central dome

Edirne Old Mosque: More interiors

Edirne Old Mosque: Carpet design

Edirne Old Mosque: I hope the mother is not letting her son do what I think he's doing

1819hrs: Back at the bus station where I was left in the morning. Has been a long but interesting day so far. While waiting for the servis bus, I get to have a nice view of Selimaye Camii right in front of me. If this mosque has not been renovated then I’d say it is a true masterpiece.

On the way back to Istanbul...

To recap a long day is not easy, but easier when you’re still living the same day and memories are fresh. I’d say that Edirne is not a rich town, but moderate in size. I can imagine during its heyday, big cities don’t reach millions inpopulation. In a way, perhaps Edirne never grew past its prime in terms of size. Not all monuments are preserved, but there are signs of rebuilding on whats left, take the Edirne Palace for example. I came at the wrong time else I’d be able to catch some oil wrestling. People living here are a mix of turks (the turkish look ala Istanbul) and some older people look like they came from the Balkans. Bulgaria and Greece is just across the border so that could explain why. I swear for a while in the countryside at Sultan Beyazit II’s complex, I thought I was in Bosnia for a while. There are beggars everywhere. Walking in the countryside and old women open their windows asking for money, the hand signal for money is not too difficult, and rather universal: rub index finger and the thumb together. So poor it is. But culturally, I’m happy enough to see some of the structures that made up Hadrianopolis during the Byzantine and Ottoman times. Mission accomplished!

Edirne street seller

... Envy

Next up tomorrow: Iznik/Nicaea, of which the religious Christians among you should have heard about.

Continue to Bursa/Iznik…

*end*

Sun setting over the Galata Tower

Hanging chandelier at ground floor of Aya Sofia

1 September 2009:
Today is a mixture of sightseeing and chores. One of the plan of this trip was to switch hotels in Istanbul. The idea is not to experience all the hotels in the vicinity of Sultanahmet, but rather, to move around to get a different vantage point of all the landmarks of the city. It is possible, within some tolerance, to determine if a hotel terrace has a good view in Google Earth. Sometimes it works, sometimes there is a building in the way. So it only makes sense that I stay in 3-4 hotels during this trip. The next two days I will be taking day trips out of Istanbul, so it is only making sense that I move to a hotel that allows me to move around to the otogar or the ferry pier easily early in the morning.

0852hrs: Paid 170TL for the hotel and on my way to Aya Sofia for this morning’s trip. It is starting to rain so it is no fun. It did rain overnight, wet roads and all visible this morning. My window was opened all night long and I was lucky not to drench out the whole room. Woke up early in the morning by the morning Fajr prayer calls from countless mosques in the area. In my state of early morning concussion, I was still able to find my audio recorder in the darkness and recorder the prayer wars between mosques. I wouldn’t politically call it ‘fighting’ but it does seem like there is a small element of rivalry there. But overall the plan for this trip to Istanbul has turned out well, walked the city when the weather was fine in the last few days and just as the weather turned bad, I’ve only got the interiors of Aya Sofia left to go through today. Plus some time wasting walkabouts this afternoon.

0901hrs: Queue for Aya Sofia is already relatively long despite the rain, and mainly made up of private tour groups with special tickets ready. On the way in the entrance is strewn (not exactly true, there are some elements of orderly arrangement) with pieces of the old building that was supposed to be here before the current one was build. I spent a little more time than the tour groups checking all the pieces out , architecturally it seems rather roman, carved marble slabs, columns and arches are all over the place. But if the previous temple was all stone, I wonder how it got burnt down.

Aya Sofia Garden: Garden of pillars

Aya Sofia Garden: Greek writing on some of the remains

Aya Sofia Garden: Possible style of the old structure that used to stand here

Aya Sofia Garden: How do they know? I wonder....

Aya Sofia Garden: It is strange for me to see all these historical leftovers as garden ornaments. Better than having it plundered, possibly.

Ah, at least I know I'm visiting the right building!

I don’t think I have to mention everything that is inside Aya Sofia, every book out there describes it in much more detail than I could in a single post. One thing is for sure, this is one big, elaborate and impressive building. The marbles look as though they have been chosen for their pattern, and they are arranged so that the patterns repeat somewhat, done by cutting it into two and putting the two newly exposed surfaces next to each other, so they look like mirror reflections. Very nicely done if I may. First time I’ve seen it arranged like this.

Some of the arches and column dont look very even, appparently due to a rush job while fitting out the building. Columns are not mathematically straight either. But it’s good timing as I happen to watch a Discovery Channel documentary on the building the night I was supposed to leave for Istanbul!

Grand as it is, Aya Sofia is also under renovation, with 13 storey scaffolding right under the main dome obscuring the size of the place. I’d say that the Ottomans were lucky that the church was built in an orientation that approximates the direction of Mecca, so that the devotees only have to skew it a few positive degrees, not more. Or else the interiors would have been a mess.

Aya Sofia: Inside the Main Entrance

Aya Sofia: Muslim Calligraphy adorn the gallery

Aya Sofia: No part of the building is not decorated

Aya Sofia: Who sent the fish in here?

Aya Sofia: This is the first batch of tourists at around 9am! The pattern on the floor is the actual marble patterns, not moire patterns off my camera...

Aya Sofia: Guessing this gold thingy points torwards Mecca. notice how it is offset just a little bit from the direction the original church was made to face.

Aya Sofia: Urn from Pergamon. I've made many shots of this area, and somehow this shot with Kodak Tri-X looks better than any colour alternative.

Aya Sofia: Omphalion, where emperors are... ah well, read the damn signpost!

Aya Sofia: Staircase to the second floor gallery

Aya Sofia: Proof that the ancients are also into graffiti...

Aya Sofia: View from the gallery on the second floor. All recent photos of the interior of this place always features the scaffolding - feels like it is a permanent part of the building now.

Aya Sofia: I love all these Islamic art motifs.

Aya Sofia: Base of the Mimbar, from which the Imams would preach (on top of this, of course)

Aya Sofia: On an outcast day black and white shows this mosaic in its best light... On the second floor gallery.

Aya Sofia: I love the old chandeliers. One last one to bring us out...

1116hrs: Out of Aya Sofia. Spent a reasonably good amount of time looking closely at just about everything while trying to avoid the rude tour groups trying to do a rush job of visiting the venue and steam rolling everyone down. It is still drizzling but I will have to switch hotel at noon.

1315hrs: At the train track going to Sirkeci, hoping to scout the vicinity of Galata bridge and see if there is a late cruise trip. If it is not available, then it will be walking Beyoglu for the afternoon. We’ll see how things goes, no real plan except to roam the areas of the Halic for the rest of the day.

1340hrs: At Enimonu docks looking at Beyoglu and the Bosphorus ferries. This is a busy place. Once the ferry leaves another one arrives to take its place. Not all are full to the brim like sardine cans, but still busy nonetheless. Each pier is its own little terminal. Tickets is by the usual Jeton token. 1 token will get you across the Bosphorus. But I will not go yet at this moment. Continued walking towards the Galata bridge, having a 4TL fish sandwish along the way. The sandwich is tasty good stuff but I think I got part of the gills of the mackerel fillet along with all the bones that are clearly not for consumption. As Turkey is not a clean place, I guess it is possible to just throw away fish bones anywhere on the street.

TCCD Train at Sirkeci Station

One of the ferry landing points at Eminonu

Another view of Galata with the Tower in the background

It may look standard, but bread, mackerel, onions, lettuce make for very very good lunch...

This is one of the Bosphorus ferry that goes to the Asian shores

More fishing

Galata Bridge

Yup, and more fishing...

Galata Bridge: what can I say. Was expecting something like the Tower bridge in London or one of the elaborate bridges across the Seine, at least Bir Hakeim, but no, this is as boring as it gets. Causeway style most of the way with restaurants lodged between the water and road deck and a little bridge in the middle for low river boats to pass. Above on the road deck, anglers line the bridge with their wooden contraption to keep the rods held and locked to the railing.

View of Galata from Eminonu

Walked across to Beyoglu end of Galata Bridge, and time for a little snack. Fish soup, bread and some more of the Turkish Tea should complete my tea time meal. There is an area selling hardware and tools and that is where I find this small shop selling soup.

Market for Hardware Tools in Beyoglu

Areas for quiet reflection are all over Istanbul, if you look hard enough...

Fish soup restaurant

Best break ever: Fish soup, bread and a cup of Turkish tea

1612hrs: Managed to find my way up to Galata tower by the furnicular tram and then short 100m walk downhill. The walk passes through small cobblestoned streets with many music shops. Now sitting by the tower while my Garmin is having much difficulty locking onto satellite signals. No photo opportunities here as the light is coming from the wrong angles. Time to go back down to the waterfront and walk across Ataturk Bridge back to Eminonu to catch a ferry to Asia.

To Galata Tower

Furnicular Tram up the hill...

Blah... too close!

On the way down from Galata Tower to the waterfront

1804hrs: After a long walk back, now at Eminonu-Karakoy pier. Wanted to go to Uskudar but got on the wrong ferry instead, but not an issue, there is a nice view of mosques at Sultanahmet here. The ferry stops at Haydarpasa, where there is a train station before hitting Kadikoy. However, here in Kadikoy I realised the line of sight to the sun setting is not too ideal for a sunset photo. Not too much time left, and I will have to quickly look for a bus to Uskudar. The timetable at the pier seems to suggest that ferries run till close to midnight so I should be safe as far as the idea of getting stuck in Asia is concerned. Good that I managed to get an Akbil stored value key fob today. Allows me to travel without the need to dish out coins or look for a token booth.

On Ataturk Bridge

Suleymaniye Mosque from Ataturk Bridge

Skyline of minarets is what makes Istanbul unique...

More street scenes

Ferry to Karakoy

Haydarpasa Train Station on the Asian shore

Finally: Karakoy ferry station in Asia

The bus slowly meanders its way all the way to Uskudar next to the ferry docks. After checking the pier timetable to be sure there is a boat back after my photoshoot, its time to fast walk the coastline all the way towards Harem till I find the best spot for the shoot. Did what a lazy photographer would do, sitting down on a bench while shooting. For this session, a tripod will be required, which I deployed while homeless kids asking for money, thinking all asian looking people are rich Japanese. They don’t understand English, so its time to practice my insults on them. Didn’t work so I tried the cock-stare, as Singaporeans call it. That worked.

Sun set view over Suleymaniye Mosque from Uskudar

Who says you can't do sunset with black and white film?

The sun sets behind Galata tower, was hoping for it to go behind the tower but it seems to miss it by just a bit. Suleymaniye Camii is on the left, not as nice as the Galata tower as it is too far from the setting sun, but still a good shoot. Met a local photographer during the shoot. We talked photography while waiting between sun setting and the dusk glow setting in.

Entrance to ferry station at Uskudar

Boat rides don't get more exciting than crossing the Bosphorus from Asia back to Europe at night...

2054hrs: On board the SH Fatih on the way back to Golden Horn and eventually back to the hotel. Been a long day today, pretty eventful, no mosques, but more of a landscaping day. Sitting on the deck on the right side to have a nice view of European side of Istanbul. The boat is not too full on the way back. Very tired by now, and tomorrow a day trip to Edirne.

One final picture to take us out: Sun set on Day 3...

Continue to Edirne…

*end*