Trypto-not-a-phan

So I must say aside from the beautiful morning and now nighttimes views from my hostel…

 

 

I was not a fan at first of Turkey. The Sultanahamet district of Old Istanbul was for this Virgo a bit of a nightmare. It was overloaded with tourists and each time I stepped out of the hostel to do a “must see” item, the tourist swarms, the loud barking tour guides, the street vendors, and diesel belching toursit buses drove me insane. It reminded me a bit of Santa Fe New Mexico where 5 Bazillion tourists arrive by bus, ravage the city, buy over prices gifts and then haul out.

I knew this “zone” could not be all that Istanbul had to offer. However I pushed through. I went to see the Hagia Sofia Museum, which was interesting but I found it overpriced and the noise levels inside were off the charts. Noise inside a religious house tends to clear out any sense of divine presence for me. I was trying to figure out why it was so loud compared to a place like the Vatican and I think it must be due to the face the Vatican guides have to use microphones with ear piece transmitters to their groups. Here they just yell and talk over the crowds to everyone in a variety of languages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was off to the Blue Mosque. BEAUTIFUL from the outside, mysterious from the inside, I arrived during the call to prayer so I was not permitted inside, confusing as some tourists were and some weren’t. I am satisfied to have seen the outside though, and if I manage to I will see the inside today.

 

 

So now I decided to get on a tram out of Sultanahamet and proceed on foot with no destination.

WOW!!!!!!!! This was the Turkey I was looking for! I had a great night exploring the vast parts of this city. The further I was away from the touristy things I think the more I was enjoying myself. Tonight I will definitely go explore again. This time I will bring my camera!