It’s official: I’m a backgammon master. I was about to give up on the game when along came Vehbi. I enjoyed a lazy afternoon on a rooftop terrace drinking Turkish tea and perfecting my skills. For some reason, I couldn’t wrap my head around this favorite pastime, but with most things, practice makes perfect – that and having Vehbi repeat himself about ten times, did the trick. I feel like I could go up against the best of the best. Well, maybe that’s a little ambitious, but I won my fair share. In my eyes, that’s an accomplishment… and no, he wasn’t going easy on me either!
After a while, I decided I should motivate and see one of the most popular sites in all of Istanbul: The Hagia Sophia. When I arrived, I was stunned by the massive amount of tourists swarming the scene. I was half tempted to throw in the towel, but after all, I’m a tourist, too. It’s funny how travelers tend to get this anti-tourist attitude. We all want to feel like we’re the only one around, when that’s clearly not the case. So, with that in mind, I decided to give it a shot. After all, it must be worth seeing if everyone and their brother was there. Luckily, I had Vehbi to help me with the task at hand. There were two separate ticket lines at the entrance; one for tourists and the other for Turks. As you can imagine, the tourist line was outrageous. Since Vehbi is Turkish, he offered to get in the local line for me. He returned in less than two minutes with my ticket in hand – pure magic! A few pointers and I was on my way. Thank you, Vehbi. Thank you.
The Hagia Sophia was originally a Christian church completed under the rule of Byzantine Emperor Justinian in approximately 537 AD. It was later converted into a mosque under Ottoman rule, and is now a museum undergoing major renovations. I love history and can appreciate the unique architecture and attention to detail. The mosaics and minarets are truly amazing. Of course, the construction and scaffolding definitely detracts from its beauty, but my imagination was in full force, as usual. I wish I could have obtained some decent photos, but between the horrible lighting and crowds, it was next to impossible.
While I’m happy I went, I can honestly say that seeing the sites isn’t always on the top of my priority list when traveling. Meeting the locals, learning about their culture, customs and beliefs, is far more interesting to me. Thankfully, time is on my side, so I’ll probably have the chance to do both, while here.
I’m truly enjoying my time in the city, but I’m considering heading South tomorrow. There is a little island by the name of Bozcaada calling my name. Getting there will require navigating bus routes and ferry rides, but I’m up for the challenge. Visions of long bicycle rides, bottles of wine, and sailboats lining the harbor, dance through my head… it sounds like my kind of paradise.
