Monday morning I went to a rural community center, in a part of town where immigrants from Western Africa and minoirty groups live. It was not the best part of town, but it was an interesting look at Istanbul away from the tourist sites. We had a meeting out on the deck of the building(see photo below).
The weather was amazing. Around 60 degrees and sunny. After the meeting we went grabbed a quick lunch and went to Bilgi University for a lecture. Biligi university is one of the large universities in Istanbul--some professors are quote in this new york times article. To be honest I didn't get much out of the lecture, dry and nothing I hadn't heard last semester in Brussels.
The evening,however, was an adventure. We had the option to either meet with young Armenians from a local radio station for tea and hookah or take a ferry across the Bosporus to the Asian side. Take a guess which one I did...
So upon getting on the ferry a group of five of us stayed outside on the railing to take in a unobstructed view of the sea and the fresh air. The ferry ride went by quickly, and as we neared shore people began crowding around us. It turns out that we were leaning on the exit rail, so we were one of the firsts off the boat. We got off in Asia, snapped a few pictures, waited for our group, who didn't come. We realized this as the boat was pulling out of harbor and watched them go away. Turns out there are two port stops, something that our guide failed to tell us and that we failed to realize. We attempted to communicate with the attendants at the dock, but they didn't speak english and didn't understand our attempts to say Asia. In any case, we were allowed on the next boat, and a lady approached us who spoke english. She grew up in the US and lived in Turkey. She offered to show us where to go to eat. Myself and Ian were hesitant to follow her, but we had no idea where the group was and the streets were packed. We decided that if she led us off the crowded pedestrian pathways we wouldn't go. It turns out that it was fine; she led us to a row of restaurants where our class was. I would have normally never have followed her, but with the group it ended up being fine. In the end we had a great-and inexpensive- dinner, grabbed bakalava and went back to the hotel.
Tuesday we had a tour of the Hagia Sophia in the morning. It was first a Christian church, later a mosque, and now a museum. It is so large and really beautiful (see picture).
We had a guide take us there and the hippodrome-large gathering place where sporting events and gatherings used to be held. We had wonderful weather. It was a good thing that I choice the group that went in the morning, but in the afternoon is rained. After a lunch at a place that Bill Clinton had been to(according to the place) we went to a Greek minority school and then the Grand Bazaar. The grand bazaar is really large,but still smaller then I expected. I bough three small things. Everyone was doing heavy duty shopping, but I was enjoying walking around. The prices are 25% higher then you expect, at least that's what the guidebooks say. I think it is much more then that and wouldn't have paid some of the prices my classmates did, but to each his or her own I suppose.
We had dinner and a lecture at 8 that night. It was still raining, which is a pity because the place we went had a great view of the city and it would have been even better if we could go outside. The food was alright. I'm pretty picky about meat, but the salad and soup were okay.
Next day we had another meeting in the morning, a group lunch at a place right along the water. Sun was out and we went up on the terrace after eating. I could have taken a nap there. Beautiful (see picture).
We went to the spice bazaar, which was neat. Highlights: a sign that said Obama approved(picture), being asked if I want to spend money(as if that's a great sales technique), being asked if I was Russian, and finally being asked if I wanted to buy poison for my mother-in-law. Tempting right?
Later we went to a meeting with sociology students from another part of Biligi University. We talked about differences in culture and politics as a big group and a smaller ones. One girl had told her classmates that if you studied in the US as a foreigner the US government made you get a tattoo with a barcode. A guy in my group thought that the American government had sent us to spread ideologies--that we had ulterior motives for visiting their school. It was very interesting and eye-opening. After we all had dinner.
The next morning was our last day. I was pretty beat. We went to the blue mosque in the morning. We were suppose to meet with the Grand Mufti to Istanbul but he went to his office and we went to the temple-miscommunication ensued,so our guide just took us around. In the afternoon we had free time and then a late dinner.
Friday was just traveling all day. I had a great trip, but I am glad to be back. Although it is still freezing here, the sun is out today. I'm going to finish a few things in my room, run, and then go o the grocery store--I have no food!
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