I finally was able to get off the ship today and experience Istanbul in all its splendor. What a city. It is absolutely incredible. I can see now why Dr. Butler (my Global Studies professor) went on and on about how this was his favorite place in the world.
My day started off with a visit to the Grand Bazaar, and boy was it grand. Mazes upon mazes of shops, with crowds so big you could barely move. It was a blast. I did a lot of shopping for others today. I got a lot of things for my parents, and I am so excited about it. I know they will absolutely love what I got them. It builds off of what I got them in Greece! The major purchase for myself was a Turkish lamp! It is stained glass with different shades of blue on a brass stand. It is gorgeous. The man selling it even gave me a converter so that it will work in the US for free! I can't wait to use it in my dorm room next year!!! I also got myself a real pashmina. It is a beautiful light purple, and it is so soft. It will be great for those cold Chicago winters. The other thing I got for myself was a really nice handmade necklace. Other than that, everything I got was for other people. It was a blast finding little gifts for the people I love. I even found something extra adorable for a certain someone at work's new baby girl. After hours of shopping, my friends and I ate lunch at a cafe in the Bazaar. I got a ham panini, and it was delicious. We continued shopping for about another hour and then headed back to the ship.
Exhausted, I managed to drag myself up to dinner, then to the library for some research and paper writing (oh hey...I'm really in school...). I was going to take a nap, but that idea fell through. My roommate Amanda offered me her ticket to the field program, "Walking Discovery of Istanbul at Evening." I jumped at the offer and took the ticket. The trip was great. It was from 2000-2300 (8-11pm). Our first stop was to the New Mosque (Yeni Camii), where we were fortunate enough to witness the 4th call to prayer of the day. Not only were we lucky enough to witness all of the locals flooding to the mosque, but we were even allowed to go inside and observe the rituals. After placing a scarf over my head and removing my shoes, I headed inside for a very humbling experience. The call to prayer was beautiful. It was culture shocking. It was so...real. It greatly saddens me the level of Islamaphobia we have within the United States. The Muslim religion is one of the most peaceful lifestyles a person can live by, but a group of extremists have destroyed their name and image in our country. It was incredibly refreshing seeing crowds of women walking around in their burqas without any heads turning. While I do not necessarily agree with the concept of concealing women, I do appreciate their culture and their right to express their beliefs. Being surrounded by so many burqas, however, has opened my eyes to the concept. While it can clearly be seen as sexist and restricting, I have become much more aware of how wearing a burqa can be a form of liberation as well. There is something freeing about not having to impress others, but the simplicity of being able to simply be oneself.
Anyway...Observing the call to prayer will definitely go down as one of my highlights.
Our next stop was to the Kumkapi dstrict. It was so lively. There were lights everywhere, gypsies playing music and dancing, fish markets and seafood restaurants lining the streets. It was magnificent. I hope to return for dinner while I'm here.
Our last, and final stop, was to Istiklal Street, which was insanity. At 10:30pm, all of the stores were still open. The locals were eating and drinking in the ally ways. There were lights strung over everything. It was like Times Square...but better! The best part was that all of this flair was mixed with 19th/early 20th century European architecture. It was this perfect chaotic blend. I can't wait to come back and really get to explore this area with my friends!
I had a great time on this trip. I'm really glad I got to go for free! It was even better because the trip leader was Deb, who was my work-study supervisor when I was helping with the extended families program, and she is one of my favorite people in the whole world. She is wonderful. It was great to get to spend some time with her tonight.
I am in love with Istanbul. The culture is so beautiful. I love it here. It continues to amaze me how each country gets better and better. Tomorrow some friends and I are going to go visit the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and another famous mosque. I am very excited for our site seeing expedition!
Goodnight, Istanbul! I will see you in the morning!
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