A Stopover to Check out Midas' Touch Before a Bosphorous Canal Cruise

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Oh, I missed blogging about this stopover. On our way back to Istanbul, we did make this stopover . Not much to see, really, but the stories are good. The ancient kingdom of Phyrge and Gordioum, where legend claims Alexander the Great cut the proverbial Gordian Knot. A place where Gordious raised Midas , whose claim to fame, is his "Midas Touch". Midas, a peasant, who became King on the strength of an oracle proclaiming that the next King would be a man coming through the kingdom with a wagon. Yes, as simple as that. Perhaps it made sense then as the "Council of Elders" could not then decide who would be declared King from among the warring factions. The oracle decided for them. And so, you can say that Midas got lucky!




In gratitude, Midas dedicated his wagon to the god Zeus, yoked to a pole, like a shrine. Until yet another oracle proclaimed that whoever unties the knot would rule over Asia . With a lot of help from Gordious, father of Midas, this lore grew and grew. Yet again, the oracle proved true. Alexander the Great, the man who severed the legendary Gordian Knot, ruled over all of Asia and conquered the world.

More on Midas

But Midas' story begs more telling. Midas' touch was not exactly a blessing. It was a curse. Having gained such a favor from one of the gods, Midas soon learned that his power to turn everything he touches into gold is a curse big-time. Depressed ( legend claims he touched his daughter, who turned into a golden statue) , and starved (since all food he touched turned icy gold) , he pleaded the gods to be delivered from this curse. So off Midas went to this river where he was told to wash his hands........and as he did, legend claims the river sands turned into gold! Nice touch, eh? Well, the story does not end there. Midas never learned, and in fact merited a second curse. The story went that in a musical competition where Apollo should have won, Midas questioned the decision . This earned the ire of Apollo, who promptly cursed Midas with donkey ears. And while Midas tried to hide his cursed ears through some head gear, his barber who couldn't hold the story to himself, spread the gossip. Donkey ears, donkey ears, went the whispers. There are several variations to this story.......but more than the tale of Midas' Touch, the 2 oracles, i vote for the donkey ears story as the best.

Off to A Bosphorous Canal Cruise

I remember this same ride 13 years ago and the chill on my face as we braved a Bosphorous Canal ride on a windy afternoon. Well, here's another windy afternoon. While Shelly donned her new pair of boots, here I was in my black sandals braving the cold with curled toes.




My feet were aching so and begging for fresh air. I didn't even want to give my socks and walking shoes a second look. When I woke up this morning, I have decided to wear my heeled black sandals, have a truly proper lunch, and enjoy my Bosphorous canal cruise. After 2 weeks, I felt as dull as my dull-looking pair of loafers. Shelly indulged me. And must have winked when she heard me order wine to go with my balik (fish) lunch. That lunch went well of course, helped along by a window seat with a good view of the Hagia Sophia. Aahhh.........it pays to indulge one's self. Makes me look forward to the day with so much gratitude in my heart.




And so the plank to get on the boat seemed shaky...........ahem. Shelly and I stayed on deck the whole time and took in all that breeze. Our guide Oktay would point out the Dolmabahce Palace as we passed it, the old Istanbul, that part that rests on the side of Europe, and that part that rests on Asia, the areas around the Golden Horn, the Bosphorous Bridge looming above, the Beylerbeyi Palace, the many villas -- some dilapidated by now -- with balconies on the very lip of the water, more mosques, more minarets. As Oktay narrated all this, he would make brief pauses to drink more of his Turkish apple tea. I would have by then cleared my head and asked a question or two ----- each time, Oktay would remind me he just mentioned it, and that I just never listened to him. Poor guy. But he was very nice about it. Even sounded amused, I'd like to think. Well, he is getting some lessons here on how to exercise patience with ladies over the hill who just enjoyed a good wine to go with a good lunch.




An hour into the ride, and Shelly started being playful. She found some Turkish flags and got everyone to hold a flag . Snap, snap, snap, more photos here and there. She got Tony , the travel photographer in our group, to take more photos of her, as she likewise took many photos of me. Pardon us, for the many people pictures on this blog. Indulge us, if you will. After all, our group had the boat all to ourselves........which somehow gave us the license to truly enjoy the cruise. Thirteen years ago when I did this same ride, it was so so cold, I don't even remember raising my arms. I was huddled in one corner, tortured by the cold breeze, teary-eyed, and hardly opened my mouth. This time around, curled toes and all, it was simply wonderful.

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Photos

Curled Toes On a Cruise
Shelly in her new boots. Me and my curled toes.

Palaces along the Bosphorous
too many of them to cite.......mosques, palaces, villas with balconies on the lip of the canal.

Viva, Turkiye!!!
This was about the time we started being playful, gamely raising Turkish flags on the boat!

Look at those boots!
Tony took this picture. It pays to have a travel photographer in your group, eh?

Cheers!
Good lunch, good wine, good view. All these at Pudding Restaurant in the Sultanahmet Square fronting Hagia Sophia.

Mussels.......
Can't recall what it's called. But they're mussels with some flavored rice like a paella on it.

Comments

[TinNiE]

Midas Touch
Good to read about Midas again! ^^ It reminds me of my childhood bedtime stories =)