Istanbul by Wheelchair...

Day 1 in Istanbul: Some people can write travel books about seeing a place cheaply, some write about seeing a place from bus or car. I can write about seeing Istanbul by wheelchair! Not bad actually!! In fact, pretty darn good. (Just kept saying to myself, "I'll never see these people again. I'll never see these people again...") Our tour guide, Janset Bilgin from Sea Song tours, met us after breakfast with a tour van, driver -- and lots of patience. She planned a driving tour of the city first, taking us to the Beverly Hills of Istanbul, the Rodeo drive of Istanbul, and the Old Town. Actually our hotel is in the Old Town, was once a prison, now converted to an elegant Four Seasons hotel. And we can see the old Roman walls from our floor along with the top of Topkapi Palace. Janset also told us, in addition to guiding Oprah, she also guided Walter Cronkite many years ago. And wives of presidents from hither and thither! We are not in bad company. In fact, I wonder how WE got hooked up with such an illustrious guide!

We also get to hear the call to prayer starting at 5:30 in the morning -- and the imams actually do it 5 times a day and don't use modern machines like recorders to make their jobs easier. There are 2500 mosques in Istanbul and each one does the chanting those 5 times. And you can see scads of minarets sticking up all over, as each mosque has at least one and many more than one! The old mosques are supported by the state. But, because they do not want to encourage MORE mosques, the newer ones have to raise their own contributions in order to operate. Bos is correct when he says that Catholics had, for many years, their ringings of the bell for matins, evensongs, etc -- about 5 times a day. Another interesting comparison: nuns wear nun habits very similar to the Muslim women's wear! And Sephardic Jews who are women also cover up, with wigs, long sleeve sweaters, opaque hose. All religions seem to be uncannily close if you think about it.

Actually, in Turkey, Ataturk passed a law that women could not wear their hajib or coverings in any state buildings or schools back in the 1920's. They can do anything they want in their own personal lives. So you do so women totally covered here on the street, but you won't in state buildings or in schools. I was amazed, as it was a hot day, and you would see women, mostly older, with heavy coats going to their ankles and their heads all covered. I asked our wonderful guide, Janset, if they were hot and she said, with a humph, "They will tell you they are not hot."I asked why the long coats and she said it is because women are supposed to hide their shapes from men. Most of the women I saw shouldn't worry about men seeing their shapes, if you get my meaning!! Interesting...

Then we stopped at the Topkapi palace, where the harems for the sultans were located. And we saw the throne -- which was an elegant BED! That is the way to rule, in my estimation! And, since I was in a wheelchair, I fully approved. Actually, the wheelchair worked wonderfully there because Janset whizzed us to the head of the line. In fact, when I was walking, she would make me get back in the chair as we approached an important site -- so we could gain priority! And what we learned about the harems is that was filled with 300-400 young girls, many of whom never even met the sultan. They were gifts from other rulers, or bought in the slave markets or captured in battles. Because the sultan could not make a muslim slave a member of the harem unless she was his wife, most of the women were from other places. When you entered the harem, you were called a concubine. If you slept with the sultan, you could become a favorite. And the thing to do was to give him a son. Then you would become a wife. In fact, Suleiman the Magnificent fell in love with a Ukrainian girl 30 years his junior. She wasn't pretty but she must have had something, because he married her, built her the largest mosque in Istanbul, and even wrote her poetry. And, after he married her, he no longer slept with other wives. She, however, was not very nice. She killed off his other sons, so her son became the next ruler -- and she the powerful queen mother!

Time of lunch. Mutton stew. Need I say more? And Joanie, Greek yogurt is actually TURKISH yogurt. And baklava was first made in Turkey. Those grape leave rolls are Turkish. And olives are Turkish. And, worst of all, your ouzo is really Turkish racka. Is your Grandma turning over in her grave yet??? I think, here, the world was invented by the Turks not Greeks. In fact, Greeks were newcomers to this beginning of the world stuff! So there...If you were me, you would be PROUD to call yourself a GURK!! (And your coloring is definitely TUrkish, I think!)

And then on to fun pursuits. We found that Jonset also designs jewelry, which is carried in one of the most prominent fashion boutiques in Istanbul. She has even been on television for her designs, although it is a relatively new hobby for her. So I asked her to take us to her boutique so we could see her jewelry. And, of course, I bought 2 necklaces and a pair of earrings. They are so interesting. We would call them, in the latest fashion sense, "statement pieces." I thought you might like to know the website of the designer, although it doesn't show the jewelry. He has been asked to show his collection in Paris this year! www.umitunal.com.

Tonight we are going to a little restaurant she recommended that serves fish (not mutton!) and we will give you a critique of that.

Another interesting tidbit: We did find out the reason they say "pork bacon" here. It is because Muslims don't eat pork. And Janset's grandfather was an imam! As it is Ramadan here, lots of Muslims are hungry all day -- no water, no cigarettes, no food! However, many in the country are not observant, so you will see some of them eating at lunch or so. But after sundown, they do countdowns -- here about 7:30 p.m.!

P.S. My hip is getting better and better. Hurrah! I expect I will be able to dump the wheelchair tomorrow and certainly by the time we fly to Cappadocia Wednesday!!