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Published: October 8th 2023
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Today began with another traditional Turkish breakfast at the Green House Restaurant. I’m glad my sister doesn’t like honeycomb because I ate both our portions! Because she is restricting her fats I also got most of the olives! The fresh fruit and cappuccino was a treat too. We ate early because we wanted to get to the Topkapi Palace before all the crowds.
I’m so glad we did because we spent hours there, walking the entire complex, an amazing labyrinth of luxury and handmade beauty. The palace construction was ordered by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror and began in 1459. It was the was the administration center of the Ottoman Empire as well as the home of all the sultans until 1923, the end of the empire. It continues to house the official library, holy relics and the Ottoman treasury. Bejeweled swords and daggers were not simply ornamental. They made me consider how many other Sultan contenders certainly met their death, having been impaled upon such beauty. Think of there DNA that may remain!
Every room in the Sultan’s residence, called his “harem”, was lined with handmade tiles. There was a different pattern in EVERY room! The tiles adorned walls,
fireplaces, niches, sometimes ceilings and even the floors. Every section of the harem was built for various members of the Sultan’s family. His mother had her own section, and, unlike western culture, participated greatly in the daily administrative affairs of the Sultan. She also selected his wives and their rank and decided who were appropriate concubines for the Sultan. Every encounter with a female was logged for careful documentation of lineage.
The concubines lived on the mezzanine level of the “Hall of Favorites”, the wives lived in apartments in the level above them. All faced out onto a single courtyard where they enjoyed life together as an extended family. As we moved through the rooms toward the Sultan’s chambers, each set of rooms became more ornate. His private rooms included a huge privy, a bathing room, prayer preparation room and the gilded Imperial throne room. The grandeur was incredible.
The afternoon included a brief lunch stop back at our hotel on the way to the Grand Bazaar. The bazaar in Izmir was a regular visit for our family where many special items were purchased from leather, to gold and Turkish rugs. Even today bartering is expected so, on
we went, ready to haggle for our goods!
I have to say, when I was a teen, even though there was always something in it for me, I did not enjoy spending the hours in the bazaar while my Dad, who LOVED to chat, engaged the vendors. I have come to appreciate it as part of the experience because I TOTALLY loved talking with all the vendors today. They were surprised to learn we lived here and were eager to share their family stories with us.
The scarf vendor was raised in the Kurdish region bordering Syria where the recent earthquake devastated the region. His family survived but lost almost everything. The shoe vendor was from Istanbul but his sister lives in Izmir. We purchased ceramics, clothing, jewelry and gifts from many vendors. We looked at traditional Turkish lamps and fabrics and spices.
While waiting for Sharon in one shop, Dave and I found a seat in a dusty alcove where a random tree grew up through the buildings. As we discussed the oddity, two cups of çay (tea - pronounced “chai”) were suddenly under our noses with their fruity aroma. Dave had pomegranate and I received
apple. Turkish çay is a common social custom and one does not refuse when offered. It is always part of the “sell” whether you are looking at rugs or toiletries. We liked our tea so much we each bought a bag and he sold Turkish coffee too, so I bought that. Someone back home is a coffee lover.
The bazaar is so big that even locals say they have never seen the whole thing. Over 5200 shops comprised the bazaar. I think we barely saw 100! We again logged over 18,000 steps before returning to the hotel.
Tomorrow we fly to Cappadocia to see the unique landscape above ground and the ancient cities underground.
I hope you are enjoying the journey with me. Many adventures await!
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