After the last two days of gray and rain, we awoke to a day that didn't completely suck. Yay! Minimal sunshine in Istanbul! We are trying to ignore the irony that London experienced its hottest May Bank Holiday weekend in history, while we sloshed around in the Turkish chill.
We took the tram out to the Bosphorus Strait to see Dolmabahce Palace. I had never heard of this palace until I came to Istanbul; all I'd ever been aware of is Topkapi Palace, and frankly after yesterday's disappointment, I wasn't expecting a lot from what is apparently Topkapi's lesser sibling.
Dolmabahce Palace was built in the 19th century, when elaborate European architecture became fashionable outside the West. The sultan decided he was slumming it at Topkapi, and hired the French architect of the Paris Opera to build him a more French-style palace.
All I can say of this palace is Wow. It is over-the-top amazing and opulent; I can't figure out why Topkapi gets all the love, and Dolmabahce is relatively unknown. My best guess is that Topkapi was the setting for so much Turkish history, and Dolmabahce didn't serve as a palace for more than a few years. Why not? Fun fact: The sultan spent so much money on these new digs that he essentially bankrupted the Otoman Empire (note that you will not find that fact on the official Dolmabahce guide). You know, like that time you wanted to upgrade your lifestyle but accidentally caused the end of a 2,000-year-old empire. Oops.
Dolmabahce is set right on the Bosphorus, and is surrounded by gardens and white marble statues and towers. The interiors are incredibly decadent, including over 500 crystal chandeliers. The Grand Ballroom is possibly one of the most opulent, jaw-dropping rooms I've ever been in; it's obvious that the architect specialized in 19th century theaters. This room looks like a cross between a ginormous, stunning mosque, and massive, gilded theater. There are no photos allowed inside Dolmabahce, so I'm not entirely certain how I ended up in possession of this Ballroom photo.
We concluded our visit to the Palace with a stop at the royal aviary where I found turkeys. IN TURKEY. Tell me that's not the most fabulous photo opp ever.
The day was slowly becoming warm and sunny, so we walked from Dolmabahce Palace to the ferry docks. Istanbul is the only city on earth that straddles two continents, and the Bosphorus Strait separates the European side from the Asian side. You can ride commuter ferries back and forth, and essentially take a Europe to Asia cruise in under an hour. And coincidentally, one hour is my limit on a boat before I get stabby!
The ferry sailed north up the Bosphorus, and showcased Istanbul's amazingly varied architecture. Over the course of 2,000 years, sultans have built fortresses and castles and pleasure palaces- and weirdly, many of them are still standing. A 12th century fortress is now an open-air theater and arts venue; a 19th century rococco hamam is now a museum. The sultans built these impressive structures right on the banks of the Bosphorus, because of course they get dibs on all the good real estate, and it is amazing to see so many centuries of architecture so close together. It was a lovely way to spend an hour.
We stopped for a lunch of doner kebabs, and I realized that I may never want another doner kebab ever again. I never thought I'd say that; I'm not certain a Londoner is even allowed to, given that it's one of their four basic food groups, alongside beer, potato chips, and passive aggression.
We had extra time this afternoon, so Matt wanted to see the Basilica Cistern. Built in the 5th century AD, this massive cistern could hold 80,000 cubic meters of water underground. It looks like a small abandoned city. But really, it's not much to see unless you're really into damp underground caverns. I couldn't figure out why Matt was so eager to see the Cistern, until he explained that a James Bond movie had been filmed down there.
I guess that's fair- I've dragged him to far worse places for equally silly reasons. I made him go to Plovdiv, Bulgaria mainly because I liked how many "v"s were in the name.
We took an evening walk to find dinner tonight, but the warmer weather also brought out the pushy touts who followed us down the street, hassling us to eat at their restaurant (does this tactic work ever, anywhere?). We decided on a place because it was hidden in a quiet alley, and frankly we felt bad for the very kind owner who had nobody in his restaurant. But the food was delicious, and it was a fabulous last dinner in Turkey.
Tomorrow is our last day in this amazing country!
Tim
2018-05-11
Eer, I am sorry I can't let this go. They are Helmeted Guinea Fowl, not Turkeys.
sql_spice
2018-05-11
I'm glad you brought that up, because we're both right. They are Helmeted Guinea Fowl; however, when American turkey birds were first sighted in America, people said they looked like the birds they'd seen with the Turks (Turkey was not called "Turkey" at this point, it was still the Ottoman Empire). That got shortened to "turkeys." So yes you're technically correct, they are guinea fowl; they are also the birds that inspired the name turkeys. So there, hotshot. :P