Istanbul Day 2

I was planning on an excursion to the nearby Prince Islands Friday, but it rained -- and rained hard -- for the first half of the day.  Not the ideal climate for ferrying around the islands off of Istanbul.  I instead headed to the old city, and went to the Grand Bazaar and other spots in its general vicinity.  Saw some great stuff.

Grand Bazaar:  After all you've heard, I suppose you have to pop your head in here.  It's worth it for a little while.  But, especially if you're not planning on buying anything -- and I really do not have room to add things to my baggage -- you don't need to kill an entire morning or afternoon.  Something like an hour should suffice.  That said, the array of colors and the quantity of different items on sale are indeed striking.  I was surprised too by the absence of any truly "hard sell" techniques.  The vendors were relatively low-key and respectful.  (Maybe they just knew not to mess with this hombre.)

Suleymaniye Camii:  The hands-down highlight of the day was going to the Suleymaniye Camii.  I believe this was my first trip ever to a grand mosque.  This is supposed to be one of the greatest in Istanbul, and it was stunning.  I loved it.  The views from every which way -- both outside and in -- were awesome.  It was also relatively peaceful, lacking the rattle and thrum that are ever-present on the streets of Istanbul.  And, somehow, even for a non-believer, the simple act of removing your shoes to walk around the uncluttered inside was calming.

Going Gaga Over Turkish Food:  I also ate some incredible food on Friday.  From starting with a fabulous Turkish breakfast, to some excellent meze (small plates), and to my visit to one of Istanbul's most famous baklava shops, this was a good day from the culinary standpoint.

Another killer breakfast at the House Cafe

Some really good meze at Karakoy Lokantasi, right near the Karakoy ferry dock

This Turkish institution for baklava was packed even at 10:00 pm.

Other Highlights:  I saw lots of other cool things on Friday.  Here's a sampling --

This is the Cemberlitas, or Column of Constantine.  Constantine the Great had it erected in 330 AD to commemorate the city's dedication as capital of the Roman Empire.  The column has withstood earthquakes and fires -- and the city bore Contantine's name for 16 centuries.

  This Column of Marcian honors the Byzantine emperor Marcian, who ruled from 450-457 AD.  It is one of only 4 surviving columns in Istanbul that honor Byzantine emperors.  

The Sehzade Camii, or "Mosque of the Prince"

The shoreline that is very close to my Cihangir apartment

I didn't have time to visit Taksim Park, but signs of the protestors at Gezi were present.