Around the World - Part 1 - Istanbul, Turkey

AROUND THE WORLD

2 May - 3 June 2013

We accrued enough miles on Lufthansa Airlines for two business class tickets around the world. We decided where we wanted to visit on the trip and then secured the tickets. We researched places to see on each stop before contacting "Cox and Kings" to make land arrangements. They were most accommodating and everything was finalized. We eagerly awaited the trip and spent time mulling over what to take as the weather varies in each place. In the meantime, we began to mentally prepare.

Our flights were all on members of “Star Alliance” and this was our route:

Dallas-Fort Worth to Frankfurt, Germany – Lufthansa Airlines

Frankfurt, Germany to Istanbul, Turkey – Lufthansa Airlines

[Interior flights in Turkey to and from Cappadocia on Turkish Airlines]

Istanbul, Turkey to Vienna, Austria – Turkish Airlines

Vienna, Austria to Tokyo, Japan – Austrian Airlines

Tokyo, Japan to Singapore – Singapore Airlines

Singapore to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia – Singapore Airlines

[Interior flights to and from Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia on Garuda Airlines]

Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia to Bangkok, Thailand – Thai Airlines

Bangkok, Thailand to Tokyo, Japan – Thai Airlines

Tokyo, Japan to Los Angeles – ANA Airlines

Los Angeles to Dallas-Fort Worth – United Airlines

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH-LONG JOURNEY:

TURKEY

ISTANBUL - We visited Istanbul on a cruise in 2000 and saw all the major sites at that time. This time we chose to see those we had not previously seen.

Our first stop was Dolmabache Palace, erected in the 1800s. The palace has a central portion and sides which mirror each other---one for men and the other for the harem. Ornate parquet floors fitted without nails are protected by carpets; ceiling are tromp l'oil and appear to be elaborately carved; wooden columns are faux marble. Because the palace was constructed on reclaimed land and atop wooden pilings driven into the mud, real marble would be too heavy. Much of the ornately carved frames, furniture and woodwork is gilded; in all there are 14 tons of gold. Crystal from Bohemia, Baccarat, and England creates chandeliers, sconces and staircase balusters. The Turkish village of Hereke was formed to weave all the rugs in this palace. No photographs are allowed inside so some of these are postcards.

 

The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora was built outside the city walls. Here we saw a small church of ancient origin with truly revolutionary mosaics inside. It and Hagia Sophia were designated museums so that the underlying Christian mosaics and frescoes could be uncovered. This church has mosaics dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the history of her life is detailed; it's like Giotto's in Ravenna.

 

Rustem Pasa Mosque, built in the 1500s is a compact mosque decorated with beautiful blue tiles from Iznik.

We crossed the bridge to Asia and arrived at Beylerbeyi Palace, built in the 1860s as a summer residence for the Ottoman Sultans who also used it for entertaining foreign dignitaries. Similar in style to Dolmabache Palace,  it is another symmetrical building with a public (men's) side and a harem (women's/family) side. Built right on the waterfront, erosion causes foundation problems and efforts are being made to minimize the damage; still, large cracks are visible in some walls. Decorated in a like style to Dolmabache Palace, much of the gilt is missing. Because it is a summer residence, wooden floors are covered with matting woven from Egyptian reeds. Of course, many Hereke carpets overlay the matting. Ceilings are elaborately painted and Baccarat crystal chandeliers, sconces and light fixtures abound; many of these have brilliantly colored elements to contrast with the clear. In the center of the main floor a marble pool with a fountain provided coolness. Here, too, ceilings are higher and the stairways are in several tiers. On the upper floor, the "Blue Room" is the largest in the palace and is above the main floor's room with the fountain. The Sultan's Study, where he received dignitaries, has an inlaid parquet floor and beautifully paneled walls and built in cabinetry---all fitted without nails.

We walked to the Hippodrome, site of the Roman arena and races. After a brief history of the area, we walked out. Both Hagia Sophia and The Blue Mosque are adjacent to the area, but having seen them on a previous trip we did not visit them again. Our destination was Topkapi Palace; unfortunately, it was also the destination for lots of other tourists. Alp gave a short history of the palace as we made our way inside. Then we visited several areas; the kitchen area, holder of the ceramic and porcelain collection was closed for renovation. We began in The Apartment of the Holy Mantle and Sacred Relics, an area holding Islamic relics and inched our way through to see items such as: The Prophet's Footprint; King David's Sword; John the Baptist's gilded and jewel-encrusted arm and skull;Moses' Rod; Abraham's pan; Joseph's Turban; various reliquaries for portions of the Prophet's Beard & Teeth; various swords including The Prophet's; a gold box holding The Prophet's mantle. All the time we were inside this area, a man was reading the Koran over a speaker system. We left this area and went to the Treasury. Deciding to bypass the extremely long line to see the thrones, which we saw last visit, we entered the portion containing various gifts to the sultans; bejeweled honorary orders; a gold box holding ping-pong-ball-sized emeralds; the Topkapi Dagger; the Spoonmaker's Diamond; a golden cradle and various other treasures. We left this area and crossed the courtyard to the Harem, which was the most interesting area we saw today. This was the private/family quarters for the sultans. We saw the Queen Mother's Apartments along with those of the Eunuchs, concubines and favorites. Next we saw the Sultan's private rooms and the so-called Golden Cage, home of the crown prince. Before leaving, we saw the punishment area for concubines who misbehaved, the swimming pool and the rooms for the Sultan's wives. We left via a long hallway called The Golden Road because the Sultan gave each person lining it a gold coin as he left for battle. Before leaving the palace, we stopped in the Divan to see the audience chambers. For us, the thousands of tiles from Iznik which cover the walls are eye-popping. The various shades of blue and the designs combine to create stunning walls.