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Published: July 21st 2011
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The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet)
The Blue Mosque was built right cross from the Hagia Sophia, to outshine it. It's the only Mosque in Istanbul with 6 minarets. “The Blue Mosque is this way. I will show you,” said a friendly middle-aged man who saw Phil and me dithering at a corner trying to decide which way to go. “Come,” he said, “It is this way.” And he led us forward. “I am not a guide,” he reassured us. “I have a shop near the mosque. A carpet shop. Very nice carpets”.
“We’re not buying any carpets,” I said firmly. “We don’t want to waste your time.” On two previous occasions we had already encountered two exceedingly friendly men with great plans for carpets for our home back in Sydney. We had watched in disbelief and increasing anxiety as carpet after carpet was pulled down from high piles, flicked out, and laid at our feet. “Don’t worry,” they would say, “There is no need to buy. But just look at this one. It is very good quality. What colours do you like?”
“Here is my shop.” The man announced, pointing down some steps toward a bazaar area.
“Really, we’re not buying carpets,” I insisted.
“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “What about ceramics?” he asked.
“We like ceramics,” I said, thinking this was a safe topic,
and also it was true.
“The Blue Mosque is just up here.” And he continued to lead us away from his shop, up some steps and around and around till we got to an entrance. He raced ahead and got plastic bags from a dispenser for us. “Here, you must take off your shoes and put them in these bags.” So we did. Then he led us forward again. I struggled to pull a scarf over my head. “Doesn’t matter about a scarf here,” he said. But then Phil was stopped by a male checker and handed a long piece of blue cloth. “You must put this on,” he said to Phil, motioning around his waist. It appeared that Phil’s bare knees were an unacceptable source of offense. So Phil beskirted himself and we were hustled in by our not-a-guide, who started telling us how many tiles there were, how many windows, where the sultan prayed, where his wife prayed, please notice the four huge columns that are called elephant's feet, and so on.
We were both starting to wonder what the protocol was. When this happens do you pay or tip your not-a-guide?
“My ceramics shop
Martha tries to follow the rules
In fact, women's hair was not a prblem, but knees were! is very close,” Not-A-Guide informed us to our surprise. “Come this way.” Phil and I looked at each other and shrugged. It appeared this was the payback.
Not-A-Guide got a call on his mobile phone. “We must hurry,” he said, “I have a customer waiting.” Across the public square, past the Sultanahmet tram stop –
“Where IS your ceramics shop?” I asked.
“Very close.” He replied. “Just down there.” And suddenly we were led into a shop, whizzed past the front gallery to a back room, seated, given little glasses of apple tea, and introduced to a master ceramicist, who gave a demonstration on an old-style foot-powered potter’s wheel, accompanied by an English commentary by one of the sons of the 7th generation of the business, who was a metallurgist. We could ask any questions. As one of Phil’s great interests is pottery, he had questions to ask. Then we were led to an inner sanctum where very top quality ceramics were—I’m talking thousands of dollars for a piece--and we walked around looking at the most stunning ceramics we’d ever seen.
We felt that we’d had quite a serendipitous meeting with Not-A-Guide. But we couldn’t afford
Phil's garb for entry
Phil's knees gave offense so he had to cover up before entering the Blue Mosque ceramics like this, much as we truly admired them.
“Doesn’t matter,” said Not-A-Guide. “This is the way.” Thankfully he was leading us out of the shop. But two doors later he insisted we step into a travel agency. “This man can help you, truly. He is very good.”
And the rest is history—watch, as these blogs will unfold.
But I’ll let you know this: we did return to the Blue Mosque the next day, to have a more relaxed and thorough look at it. It’s called the Blue Mosque because of all the blue tiles in it. I didn’t know that the word turquoise actually comes from Turkey, where this precious stone is found and highly prized. Over the centuries, Turks have very often given gifts made from this blue stone, so in time it came to be known as turquoise. I always thought it came from the American Southwest, and of course that is one of the other places it is found, and highly prized. But its name comes from Turkey.
Another thing I learned is that the mosque was a provider of many social services. It had a medical clinic (for its times), a
school, a place for feeding the poor, a caravansary, and other things as well.
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Michelle Cavanagh
non-member comment
Blue Mosque
Pleased to read that you held firm under what sounds like a super salesman! M xx