Last Day in Istanbul

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This is my last full day in Istanbul and I spent it seeing "odds and ends". There were several minor places on my list that I wanted to see if I had time. First thing this morning I took the passenger ferry across to the Asian side so I could watch the sunrise light up the Old City. (Okay, so it was more like 9 AM, but the effect of the morning sun was the same!) I took another ferry to a different part of town and visited the Naval Museum. There is another piece of the harbor chain there and I would estimate that each link is close to 2 feet long. The square in front of the museum has a statue of the 16th century pirate-turned-commodore Barbarossa who ruled the Mediterranean Sea during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent. (See picture) Next I took a taxi to the train station. I had been there before, but the little museum was closed then. Today I enjoyed looking around the museum with its memorabilia from the Orient Express days. (See picture) I went back to the Blue Mosque because it is Friday and I was interested to see the people going to afternoon prayer. Attendants had laid out multiple carpets on the sidewalk beside the mosque in order to accommodate all the people who come to this weekly service. Muslims are expected to pray five times a day, but they may do so wherever they are and it doesn't need to be in a mosque. The exception is Friday afternoon when they are instructed to go to the mosque for the service and for a "sermon" by the imam. I came back to my apartment and made arrangements for a taxi to the airport in the morning. I will be packing my suitcase tonight and then tomorrow I will be heading on to my next destination!

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