We have spent the last two days in Istanbul. I have been very impressed with the vibe of this city, the cleanliness, the history, and the blend of religious with secular. We had Akin as our guide from United Travel services. Great guy! Day one was focused on the palace, which is a lot to see in a short amount of time. We learned that when one was chosen to be a eunuch, after his castration, he was buried for 3 days in the sand up to his neck. If he survived, he had the pleasure of guarding all the harem. Tough job requirements.
We had appointments for Turkish baths- men on one side and ladies on another. Helen and I had no idea what we signed up for. We are given a 3 inch triangle with elastic as our only coverage. One can’t unsee what we saw in that bath, as it’s a communal environment. First, we were naked and hot water was poured all over us. We were then scrubbed with a course sandpaper glove by our attendant, where I felt like a molting snake. Then you are smeared with green clay everywhere, and I mean everywhere. My attendant said “I’ll be the mama, you be the bebe”. Next one is rinsed, hair washed and placed on a marble bench. We were covered with foam and massaged. Bizarre. Helen and I are quite close now.
Oh, and we saw the Blue Mosque…
Day two we saw the hippodrome followed by the underground cistern system, featured in many movies. My favorite “site” so far in Istanbul. We then went to the famous covered Bazaar. Lastly, Akin brought us to a local kebob spot where only locals go. Another highlight to our time in Istanbul.
2025-02-17